HEIFERS. As the words Ox and Bull, in the figurative sense of them, signify the Rich and Powerful, the Great who live in an affluence of all things, in a forgetfulness of God, and contempt of the Poor; so in proportion, by Heifers are meant Women who are rich, nice, and voluptuous, who make their pleasure their God. See how the Prophet Amos bespeaks them: Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountains of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy; which say to their masters, Bring and let us drink. And Hosea iv. 16.the Prophet Hosea: For Israel slideth back, as a back-sliding Heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a Lamb in a large plain.
The Prophets frequently call the golden Calves of Jeroboam by the name of Calves, or Heifers. The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the Calves of Beth-aven. The Septuagint, and after them Josephus and the Greek Fathers call them golden LXX. Joseph. PP. Græci Isa. xv. 5. Jer. xlviii. 3, 4.Heifers. The Hebrew word Hegel signifies properly a Calf; but the Hebrews without question designed in this to imitate the Egyptians, who worshipped the bull Apis.
Isaiah and Jeremiah give the cities of Zoar and Heronaim the epithets of Calves or Heifers of three years old: which words, in the opinion of some, denote their vivacity and indocility. They are cities not to be governed, or brought under the yoke. Others will have it, that the strength and vigour of Zoar and Heronaïm are meant by them: these two cities are sensible of their own force, and will not be subdued. It is our opinion, that the Hebrew words Agola and Shalisha, an Heifer of three years old, denote two cities; one called Bethagla, the other Baal-Shalisha. The first was upon the Dead-Sea. See Joshua xv. 5. xviii. 19, 21. and the other is mentioned in 1 Sam. ix. 4. and 2 Kings iv. 42.
Jer. xlvi. 20.In the prophetick style, the Gentile nations are sometimes compared to Heifers. Egypt is like a very fair Heifer: but destruction cometh, it cometh out of the north. He means the Chaldæans, who were to subdue Egypt. And the prophet Hosea, speaking of the ten Tribes of Israel, ch. x. 11. Ephraim is as an Heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn, and live in plenty: but I will tame her, and force her to submit to be yoked.
Sampson, in the book of Judges, chap. xiv. v. 18. accuses the young men who were at his wedding, with abusing the easiness of his wife, to get his secret out of her: If ye had not ploughed with my Heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. Moses ordains in Deut. xxi. 3. that if the body of any one be found, who has been killed within the liberties of any city or village, and the murderer be not known, the Elders and Judges of the place shall take an Heifer which has never yet been yoked, and lead it into some uncultivated valley, which never has been ploughed; there its head shall be cut off, and the Elders of the place shall wash their hands in the presence of the Levites, over the Heifer’s head, and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it: be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, and lay not innocent blood unto their charge. See the Article MURDER.