Deuteronomy 22:10

10 Thou shalt not ear with an ox and an ass together. (Thou shalt not plow with an ox and a donkey together.)

Deuteronomy 22:10 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:10

Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together
They might be used separately, but not together; nor was it uncommon in some countries for asses to be employed in ploughing as well as oxen. Pliny ^F8 makes mention of some fruitful land in Africa, which when it was dry weather could not be ploughed by oxen, but after showers of rain might be ploughed by a mean little ass; so Leo Africanus ^F9 says, the Africans only use horses and asses in ploughing. The reason why they were not to be put together was either (as some think) lest the law should be broken which forbids the gendering of cattle with a divers kind, ( Leviticus 19:19 ) but Aben Ezra thinks the reason is, because the strength of an ass is not equal to the strength of an ox; and therefore he supposes this law is made from the mercy and commiseration of God extended to all his creatures; though perhaps the better reason is, because the one was a clean creature, and the other an unclean, and this instance is put for all others; and with which agree the Jewish canons, which run thus,

``cattle with cattle, wild beasts with wild beasts, unclean with unclean, clean with clean (i.e. these may be put together); but unclean with clean, and clean with unclean, are forbidden to plough with, to draw with, or to be led together ^F11.''

The mystery of this is, that godly and ungodly persons are not to be yoked together in religious fellowship: see ( 2 Corinthians 6:14 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Nat. Hist. l. 17. c. 5.
F9 Descriptio Africae, l. 2. p. 104.
F11 Misn. Celaim, c. 8. sect. 2.

Deuteronomy 22:10 In-Context

8 When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a wall of the roof by compass, lest blood be shed out in thine house, and thou be guilty, if another man slideth (off), and falleth into a ditch. (When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a wall all around the roof, lest blood be shed out on thy house, and thou be guilty, if someone slideth off, and falleth into a ditch.)

9 Thou shalt not sow thy vinery with another seed, lest both the seed which thou hast sown, and those things that come forth of the vinery, that is, the fruit of the vinery, be defouled together. (Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with another seed, lest both the seed which thou hast sown, and those things that come forth of the vineyard, that is, the fruit of the vineyard, be defiled.)

10 Thou shalt not ear with an ox and an ass together. (Thou shalt not plow with an ox and a donkey together.)

11 Thou shalt not be clothed in a cloth, which is woven together of wool and of flax. (Thou shalt not be clothed in a cloak, which is woven with wool and flax together.)

12 Thou shalt make little cords by four corners in the hems of thy mantle, with which thou art covered. (Thou shalt put tassels on the four corners of the hem of thy mantle, with which thou art covered.)