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Calf

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: C By: George A. Morrish

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The young of cattle whether male or female. A calf was offered for a sin-offering for Aaron, and a calf and a lamb for a burnt-offering for the people, at the commencement of Aaron’s service (Lev. 9:2, 8²And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. (Leviticus 9:2)
⁸Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. (Leviticus 9:8)).

A calf was kept by the affluent, ready for any special meal, such as was presented tender and good to the angels by Abraham (Gen. 18:7⁷And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. (Genesis 18:7)); which is also described as “the fatted calf” in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:23²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: (Luke 15:23)). The calf or ox is used typically to represent one of the attributes of God in governmental power, namely, firm endurance (Rev. 4:7⁷And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. (Revelation 4:7); compare Ezek. 1:10¹⁰As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. (Ezekiel 1:10)).

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Concise Bible Dictionary: C

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