Ox

The ox (Hebrew shor; also aleph, the letter-name deriving from the word for ox) was the principal draft animal and a major sacrificial animal in ancient Israel. Oxen plowed fields, threshed grain (by treading or dragging a sledge), and transported loads. Their economic importance is reflected in the extensive legal protections: the law of the goring ox in Exodus 21:28–36 established liability principles; the commandment not to muzzle an ox while threshing (Deuteronomy 25:4) Paul interprets as a principle of fair compensation for workers (1 Corinthians 9:9).

In sacrifice, oxen were the most prestigious offering — David offered oxen and fatted cattle at the ark's installation (2 Samuel 6:13) and Solomon sacrificed 22,000 oxen at the temple's dedication (1 Kings 8:63). The four living creatures of Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7 include one with a face like an ox, representing strength and service in the divine court. The ox appears in the manger imagery of Luke 2 only by tradition; the text does not name specific animals.