Lexical Summary
egel: Calf
Original Word:עֵגֶל
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:`egel
Pronunciation:ay'-ghel
Phonetic Spelling:(ay-ghel)
KJV: bullock, calf
NASB:calf, calves, calf's
Word Origin:[from the same asH5696 (עָגוֹל עָגוֹל - circular)]
1. a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (i.e. a steer)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
bullock, calf
From the same asagol; a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (i.e. A steer) -- bullock, calf.
see HEBREWagol
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiona calf
NASB Translationcalf (22), calf's (1), calves (12).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Exodus 32:24 (as
rolling or
circling about ? compare from ; Late Hebrew
id.; Phoenician (Punic)
id. Lzb
336; Palmyrene proper name
id. Cook
89; Aramaic
,
, , ,
id.; Assyrian [
agalu], plural
agalê probably
calves Dl
HWB 16 (compare against this Jen
Kosmol.110, but see also Jäger
BAS ii. 2, 286); Arabic
id.; Ethiopic
image u%navailable, compare also Hom
NS 226); — absolute
Exodus 32:19 +; construct
1 Samuel 28:24 +; suffix
Hosea 8:5; plural
Hosea 13:2 +; construct
1 Kings 12:28 +; —
calfIsaiah 11:6;
Isaiah 27:10 in simile of leaping mountains
Psalm 29:6; in simile of foot-sole of cherubim
Ezekiel 1:7; i.e. a
stall-fed (fatted)
calf1 Samuel 28:24, in simile
Jeremiah 46:21;
Malachi 3:20, compare
Amos 6:4;
Jeremiah 31:18an untrained calf;
Psalm 68:31calves of peoples, i.e. peoples like calves, so most; perhaps read Matthes Che Gunk
Schöf. 66 f. compare Bae;
calf as sacrifice victim
Micah 6:6;
Leviticus 9:2,3,8 (P); cut in two, in ratifying covenant
Jeremiah 34:18,19 (compare
Genesis 15:9); elsewhere
image of calf: made at Horeb,
Exodus 32:4,8;
Deuteronomy 9:16;
Nehemiah 9:18; alone
Exodus 32:19,20,24,35;
Deuteronomy 9:21;
Psalm 106:19; two set up by Jeroboam I in Northern Israel,
1 Kings 12:28,32;
2 Kings 10:29;
2 Kings 17:16; 2Chronicles 11:15; 13:8, compare
Hosea 8:5,6 (, ),
Hosea 13:2; also
Hosea 10:5 (see I. near the end).
Topical Lexicon
General Scope and Symbolismעֵגֶל denotes the male calf, normally from birth up to its first year, a stage valued for tenderness of flesh, economic promise, and ritual suitability. In everyday life it symbolized strength in potential, fertility, and festive abundance (compare1 Samuel 28:24). In worship it became either a legitimate sacrificial victim or, tragically, a counterfeit representation of deity.
Sanctioned Use in Sacrifice
• The Torah repeatedly assigns the calf to priestly service, especially for sin and burnt offerings (Leviticus 9:2-8;Leviticus 16:3). Its youth underscored the need for purity, while its vigor anticipated full-grown strength transferred to the worshiper through atonement.
• Twelve tribal leaders each presented “one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering” during the dedication of the altar (Numbers 7:16-88). The list’s symmetry stresses corporate solidarity—every tribe needed identical cleansing.
•Genesis 15:9 contains the earliest sacrificial reference, where the calf stands among the five animals that seal the covenant with Abram, foreshadowing a redemptive lineage secured by substitutionary blood.
Through these passages Scripture exhibits coherent sacrificial theology: the calf is a divinely authorized means to portray holiness, guilt removal, and covenant fidelity, all truths ultimately consummated in the atoning work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9).
Idolatrous Perversion
1. Sinai.Exodus 32 chronicles Israel’s first national apostasy. Aaron fashioned “a molten calf” and proclaimed, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” (Exodus 32:4). Six verses employ עֵגֶל, emphasizing how quickly the redeemed people exchanged the living God for a fabricated image that mimicked Egyptian Apis-bull worship. Moses’ grinding the idol to powder and forcing Israel to drink it (32:20) dramatized the worthlessness of false worship.
2. Samaria. Jeroboam replicated the sin by setting up calves at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-32;2 Chronicles 11:15). His political strategy became spiritual treason, creating a counterfeit cult that infected Northern Israel for two centuries. Hosea repeatedly calls it “the calf of Samaria” and warns, “He has rejected your calf, O Samaria… the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces” (Hosea 8:5-6; 10:5-6; 13:2).
3. Prophetic Reproof. The prophets treat the calf as shorthand for idolatry’s folly.Psalm 106:19 contrasts Sinai’s golden calf with the glory of God;Jeremiah 34:18 uses the dissected calf of covenant ratification to condemn Judah’s breach of oath. Thus the same animal that could signify atonement became a symbol of rebellion when misused.
Agricultural and Economic Background
Cattle breeding formed a pillar of agrarian Israel. A well-fed calf represented family wealth and festive hospitality (cf. the “fattened calf” ofLuke 15 in the New Testament).Jeremiah 46:21 pictures Egypt’s elite soldiers as “well-fed calves,” highlighting complacency before divine judgment. The ordinary familiarity of calves made idolatry with their image especially seductive, yet equally inexcusable.
Eschatological and Prophetic Imagery
Malachi 4:2 promises the righteous, “You will go out and leap like calves released from the stall”. The joyful, liberated calf becomes a metaphor for resurrection life and covenant renewal. Scripture thereby redeems the image of the calf from idolatrous misuse, projecting it into messianic hope.
Ministry and Discipleship Lessons
• Right worship matters. The same creature can aid devotion or become an idol, reminding believers to guard purity of heart and doctrine.
• Spiritual leadership bears weighty responsibility; Aaron’s and Jeroboam’s compromises led multitudes astray.
• God’s redemptive plan is consistent: from Abraham’s covenant calf to Levitical offerings to the prophetic vision of freedom, Scripture unfolds one unified account culminating in Christ, the true and final sacrifice.
Key References
Genesis 15:9;Exodus 32:4-35;Leviticus 9:2-8;Leviticus 16:3;Numbers 7:16-88;Deuteronomy 9:16-21;1 Kings 12:28-32;2 Chronicles 11:15;Psalm 106:19;Jeremiah 34:18;Jeremiah 46:21;Hosea 8:5-6;Hosea 10:5-6;Hosea 13:2;Malachi 4:2.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּעֶגְלֵ֬י בַּעֲגָלִ֖ים בעגלי בעגלים הָעֵ֔גֶל הָעֵ֖גֶל הָעֵ֗גֶל הָעֵ֙גֶל֙ הָעֵ֥גֶל הָעֵ֨גֶל הָעֵֽגֶל׃ העגל העגל׃ וְלָעֲגָלִ֖ים וְעֵ֨גֶל וַעֲגָלִ֖ים ולעגלים ועגל ועגלים כְּעֵ֖גֶל כְּעֶגְלֵ֣י כְּעֶגְלֵ֥י כעגל כעגלי לָעֲגָלִ֣ים לעגלים עֲגָלִ֑ים עֲגָלִ֖ים עֵ֑גֶל עֵ֔גֶל עֵ֖גֶל עֵ֛גֶל עֵ֣גֶל עֵ֥גֶל עֵֽגֶל־ עֶגְלֵ֣י עֶגְלֵ֣ךְ עֶגְלֵי֙ עגל עגל־ עגלי עגלים עגלך ‘ă·ḡā·lîm ‘ăḡālîm ‘ê·ḡel ‘ê·ḡel- ‘eḡ·lê ‘eḡ·lêḵ ‘êḡel ‘êḡel- ‘eḡlê ‘eḡlêḵ agaLim ba‘ăḡālîm ba·‘ă·ḡā·lîm baagaLim bə‘eḡlê bə·‘eḡ·lê beegLei Egel egLech egLei hā‘êḡel hā·‘ê·ḡel haEgel kə‘êḡel kə‘eḡlê kə·‘ê·ḡel kə·‘eḡ·lê keEgel keegLei lā‘ăḡālîm lā·‘ă·ḡā·lîm laagaLim vaagaLim veEgel velaagaLim wa‘ăḡālîm wa·‘ă·ḡā·lîm wə‘êḡel wə·‘ê·ḡel wə·lā·‘ă·ḡā·lîm wəlā‘ăḡālîm
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