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Deuteronomy 25:4

4 Don't muzzle an ox while it is threshing.

Deuteronomy 25:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 25:4

Thou shall not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out [the corn].
] As oxen are used in ploughing, so likewise in treading or beating out the corn; of the manner of which, (See Gill on 1 Corinthians 9:9); now while it was thus employed, it might not be restrained by any means from eating the corn as it had an opportunity, either by a muzzle put over its mouth, or other ways. The Gentiles had several ways of restraining their cattle from eating, while they thus made use of them, to which this law is opposed. Maimonides F6 has collected several or them together, as prohibited by it; as putting a thorn into its mouth, causing a lion to lie down by it, or causing its calf to lie down without, or spreading a skin on the top of the corn, that so it may not eat. Aelianus F7 relates a very particular way of hindering oxen from eating at such times, used some countries, which was this; that oxen might not eat of the ears of corn, in a floor where they were trod out, they used to besmear their nostrils with cows' dung, which was so disagreeable to the creature, that it would not taste anything though pressed with famine. This law is not to be limited to the ox only, or to this peculiar work assigned it; but, as Jarchi says, respects any sort of cattle, and whatsoever work that has food in it, none of them being to be restrained from eating while at work: and this law was not made for the creatures only, but for men also; and especially for the sake of ministers of the word; who for their strength, labour, and industry, are compared to oxen, and ought to be comfortably supported and maintained on account of their work; for the illustration and confirmation of which this passage is twice produced, (See Gill on 1 Corinthians 9:9); (See Gill on 1 Corinthians 9:10); (See Gill on 1 Timothy 5:17); (See Gill on 1 Timothy 5:18).


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Hilchot Shecirut, c. 13. sect. 2, 3.
F7 Hist. Animal. l. 4. c. 25.

Deuteronomy 25:4 In-Context

2 If the guilty one deserves punishment, the judge will have him prostrate himself before him and lashed as many times as his crime deserves,
3 but not more than forty. If you hit him more than forty times, you will degrade him to something less than human.
4 Don't muzzle an ox while it is threshing.
5 When brothers are living together and one of them dies without having had a son, the widow of the dead brother shall not marry a stranger from outside the family; her husband's brother is to come to her and marry her and do the brother-in-law's duty by her.
6 The first son that she bears shall be named after her dead husband so his name won't die out in Israel.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.