שׁוֹר (shor)
shor
cattle
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 60 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shor refers generally to a head of cattle, encompassing bulls, oxen, and cows without strict distinction by age or sex. Its root likely relates to strength or boldness, reflecting the animal’s role as a powerful beast of burden. In ancient Israel, this creature was central to daily life, serving as essential labor for plowing fields and providing meat for food.
The word appears frequently in legal texts, particularly in Exodus and Leviticus, where it features in laws regarding property damage and sacrificial offerings. For instance, Exodus 21 details the liability of an owner if his ox gores another person, while Leviticus uses shor to describe the bulls offered for atonement. This broad usage highlights its value as both a vital economic asset and a sacred instrument of worship.
Translators typically render shor as "ox" or "bull," though context determines the specific nuance. The term underscores the animal's utility and dignity in biblical society, appearing alongside other livestock to represent wealth and sustenance. Its presence in both civil law and ritual practice illustrates the integrated nature of agricultural life and religious devotion in ancient Israel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In ancient Israel, the shor was far more than livestock; it represented the backbone of daily survival and worship. As a beast of burden, it turned the soil for crops, ensuring food security for families. In the same breath, it served as a central element in temple rituals, where its sacrifice facilitated atonement and communion with God. This dual role highlights how ordinary work and sacred devotion were woven together in biblical life.
Understanding this word helps us see the dignity of labor and the seriousness of worship. The laws surrounding these animals taught responsibility, compassion, and reverence. When we read about the ox resting on the Sabbath or being protected from harm, we glimpse a God who cares for all creatures under His care. This perspective invites us to view our own resources and efforts as tools for both sustenance and service.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 60 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- an ox16×
- the/ ox11×
- [the] ox of6×
- ox[en]5×
- ox/ his5×
- and/ an ox5×
- ox/ your2×
- with/ an ox1×
- ox[en]/ your1×
- ox[en]/ his1×
- ox1×
- more than/ an ox1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שׁ֥וֹר8×
- שׁ֣וֹר7×
- הַ/שּׁוֹר֙3×
- הַ/שּׁ֖וֹר3×
- שׁוֹר֣/וֹ2×
- שׁוֹר֜/וֹ2×
- שׁוֹר֙2×
- שֽׁוֹר\׃2×
- שׁ֖וֹר2×
- הַ/שּׁ֔וֹר2×
- שׁוֹרֶ֔/ךָ1×
- שׁוֹרְ/ךָ֞1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 23:12
“Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant, and the alien may be refreshed.
This verse extends Sabbath rest to working animals, showing that divine mercy covers even the beasts that provide human livelihood.
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Exodus 20:17
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
The inclusion of the ox in the tenth commandment reveals that coveting material wealth and productive assets is a serious spiritual failure.
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Leviticus 4:10
as it is removed from the bull of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.
Here the shor is used in sacrificial rites, illustrating how the animal's life was offered to restore relationship with God.
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Exodus 23:4
“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
The command to return an enemy's stray ox demonstrates that justice and kindness transcend personal grudges or social divisions.