BULL, BULLOCK (Heb. אַבִּיר, H52, mighty [animal]); H7228, פַּר, bullock; בֶּנ־בָּקָ֜ר, son of the herd; שׁﯴר, H8802, head of cattle, ox; תּﯴר, H10756, wild bull; עֵ֫גֶל, H6319, steer; תּﯴר, H10756, beeves; Gr. ταῦρος, G5436, bull. These were clean animals with split hoofs and since they chewed the cud they could be used for food and sacrifice. Although strong as bulls of Bashan (Ps 22:12) they are more meek than our bulls. Their figures guarded the entrances to the houses, gardens, and temples of the ancient Babylonians from evil spirits (somewhat like horseshoes over doors in England). When Solomon constructed his Temple he had Hiram’s father make a molten sea upheld by twelve oxen, three facing in each direction. The cherubim guarding Eden corresponded to bulls. The ox head as a scapegoat was derived from the bulls’ heads above doors. Wild oxen or wild bulls are the oryx or aurochs from whom domestic varieties descended.

Detailed directions for offering bullocks in sacrifice are given in Leviticus 4, 8, 16; Numbers 28, 29. The animals were to be without blemish (e.g. bruised, crushed, torn, or having cut testicles [Lev 22:24] disqualified a beast). The blood was put on the horns of the altar, sprinkled before the veil or on the front of the mercy seat, or poured out at its base, and the remainder of the animal was burned. The number of bullocks sacrificed ran into the thousands (1 Chron 29:21; 2 Chron 30:24). One should recall that the mere act had no efficacy if the heart was not in it (Isa 1:11) and if the hands that sacrificed were engaged in evil activities. Hands were laid on the head of the bull to signify transfer of sins from the guilty to the animal.

Unfortunately, bulls were also worshiped, prob. as a hangover from days in Egypt. Aaron made an image of a golden calf (Exod 32) but perhaps he did it to remind the Israelites of the strength of God which had brought them out of Egypt, much as Balaam compared God’s strength to that of the wild ox. Jeroboam likewise attributed the release from Egypt to the two calves of gold, which he set up in two provinces to be worshiped so his people would not want to go up to Jerusalem, from which he was separated. Although the ox was one of the creatures mentioned in Ezekiel’s vision of God and His throne, it was a creature serving and worshiping, but not to be worshiped (Ezek 1 and 10). Luke, one of the four evangelists, was symbolized by a bull.

Wealth was measured in cattle, oxen included. Abraham had flocks and herds (Gen 24:35), Job had 500 yoke of oxen before he was afflicted and 1000 yoke afterward. Saul failed to destroy the oxen of the Amalekites and committed grievous sin for his avarice.

Oxen were farm animals. Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen when Elijah found him (1 Kings 19:19). Threshing was a common duty (1 Cor 9:9).

Bibliography HERE (1955), II, 887.