You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.
Parallel translations
- KJV Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
- BSB Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
- NKJV “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.
- NASB “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.
- NLT “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
An ox treading out grain must be allowed to eat freely, not muzzled. The worker deserves to share in the fruit of his labor.
Overview
Even a laboring animal was to enjoy some of the grain it threshed, reflecting God's care for His creatures and the broader principle that laborers should benefit from their work. Paul twice applies this verse to support gospel ministers being provided for materially (1 Corinthians 9:9-10; 1 Timothy 5:18). Thus a humble agricultural law becomes a foundation for the worthy maintenance of those who labor in the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Tim 5:17–18Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.
- 1 Cor 9:9–10For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares,
- Prov 12:10A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
- Hos 10:11Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck. I will set a rider on Ephraim. Judah will plow. Jacob will break his clods.
- Isa 28:27For the dill are not threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 25:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.