Topical Bible: Wild Ox: Generally had a Single Horn

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The term "wild ox" in the Bible is often associated with a powerful and untamed animal, symbolizing strength and majesty. The Hebrew word often translated as "wild ox" is "reem" (רְאֵם), which some scholars suggest refers to a now-extinct animal, possibly the aurochs or a similar large, horned creature. The wild ox is mentioned in several passages throughout the Old Testament, where it is depicted as a creature of great power and independence.

Biblical References:

1. Numbers 23:22 : "God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox." This verse highlights the strength and might of the wild ox, drawing a parallel to the power of God in delivering the Israelites from Egypt. The imagery of the wild ox underscores the divine strength and protection afforded to God's people.

2. Deuteronomy 33:17 : "His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth." Here, the wild ox is used metaphorically to describe the strength and dominance of the tribe of Joseph, particularly Ephraim and Manasseh. The reference to the horns suggests a formidable power capable of subduing adversaries.

3. Job 39:9-12 : "Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will it stay by your manger at night? Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness? Will it plow the valleys behind you? Can you rely on its great strength? Will you leave your heavy work to it? Can you trust it to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?" In this passage, God challenges Job by pointing out the untamable nature of the wild ox, emphasizing its independence and strength. The rhetorical questions highlight the limitations of human control over such a powerful creature, contrasting it with God's sovereign power.

4. Psalm 92:10 : "But You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; with fine oil I have been anointed." The psalmist uses the imagery of the wild ox to express a sense of empowerment and divine favor. The "horn" symbolizes strength and honor, suggesting that God has elevated the psalmist to a position of power and blessing.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, the wild ox is often a symbol of untamed strength and divine power. Its depiction as a creature with a single horn in some interpretations may draw parallels to the concept of singularity and uniqueness in strength. The wild ox's portrayal in Scripture serves to remind believers of God's unmatched power and the futility of human efforts to control or harness divine strength.

The wild ox also serves as a metaphor for the tribes of Israel, particularly in the blessings pronounced by Jacob and Moses. Its strength and horns are emblematic of the military prowess and divine favor bestowed upon the tribes, signifying their role as instruments of God's will on earth.

Overall, the wild ox in the Bible is a powerful representation of God's might and the strength He imparts to His people, serving as a reminder of the divine protection and empowerment available to those who trust in Him.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 92:10
But my horn shall you exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Nile and Egypt
... Isis has had no devotees for centuries, and her very ... goats and dogs"are, like the
plants, generally of African ... The pig and the wild boar, the long-eared hare ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... to the Egyptians the haunch of an ox placed on ... But, generally, he was not considered
as having either ... the Pyramid texts, Sahu-Orion, the wild hunter, captures ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... The wild boar, and his relative, the domestic hog ... besides the dog"namely, the ass,
ox, goat, and ... This opinion has been generally abandoned by Assyriologists ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire
... must have been mercilessly jolted in the ox-drawn square ... the institutions and prestige
which he had given it ... It is generally assumed that Ramses V., brother of ...
/.../chapter iiithe close of the.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire --(Continued)
... The ox-driver, while goading his beasts, cried out to ... the composition more studied,
and the perspective less wild. ... I. and Nofritari, but they had also their ...
/.../chapter ithe close of the.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... high priest of Ra, the hankistit"his high priestess, and generally speaking all ... members
of this first household establishment of the god, or had succeeded to ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... The tricks which in those days so generally accompanied trading, are ... and that they
run hazards that hunt the wild boar ... men too, to eat grass like an ox, and to ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the life and death of.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... This is the hill from whence the prophet Ezekiel had the vision of this city ... and
spouse of the Lord Jesus; and is to be considered either generally or more ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

The Pilgrim's Progress
... Highlanders and wild Irish can agree My Pilgrim should familiar ... with man; I had thought
they had lived upon ... she desires the mire; the fatter the ox is, the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the pilgrims progress.htm