The young of the cow, a clean animal much used in sacrifice; hence the expression, "So will we render the calves of our lips," Hosea 14:2, meaning, we will offer as sacrifices the prayers and praises of our lips, Hebrews 13:15. The fatted calf was considered the choicest animal food, Genesis 18:7 Amos 6:4 Luke 15:23.

In Jeremiah 34:18, "they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof," there is an allusion to an ancient mode of ratifying a covenant; the parties thus signifying their willingness to be themselves cut in pieces if unfaithful, Genesis 15:9-18.

THE GOLDEN CALF worshipped by the Jews at mount Sinai, while Moses was absent in the mount, was cast by Aaron from the earrings of the people. Its worship was attended with degrading obscenities, and was punished by the death of three thousand men.

The golden calves of Jeroboam were erected by him, one at each extreme of his kingdom, that the ten tribes might be prevented from resorting to Jerusalem to worship, and thus coalescing with the men of Judah, 1 Kings 12:26-29. Thus the people "forgot God their Savior," and sank into gross idolatry. Jeroboam is scarcely ever mentioned in Scripture without the brand upon him, "who made Israel to sin," 2 Kings 17:21. The prophet Hosea frequently alludes to the calf at Bethel, to the folly and guilt of its worshippers, and to the day when both idol and people should be broken in pieces by the Assyrians.

Calves were commonly made use of in sacrifices, and are therefore frequently mentioned in Scripture. The "fatted calf" was regarded as the choicest of animal food; it was frequently also offered as a special sacrifice (1 Samuel 28:24; Amos 6:4; Luke 15:23). The words used in Jeremiah 34:18,19, "cut the calf in twain," allude to the custom of dividing a sacrifice into two parts, between which the parties ratifying a covenant passed (Genesis 15:9,10,17,18). The sacrifice of the lips, i.e., priase, is called "the calves of our lips" (Hosea 14:2, RSV, "as bullocks the offering of our lips." Compare Hebrews 13:15; Psalms 116:7; Jeremiah 33:11).

The golden calf which Aaron made (Exodus 32:4) was probably a copy of the god Moloch rather than of the god Apis, the sacred ox or calf of Egypt. The Jews showed all through their history a tendency toward the Babylonian and Canaanitish idolatry rather than toward that of Egypt.

Ages after this, Jeroboam, king of Israel, set up two idol calves, one at Dan, and the other at Bethel, that he might thus prevent the ten tribes from resorting to Jerusalem for worship (1 Kings 12:28). These calves continued to be a snare to the people till the time of their captivity. The calf at Dan was carried away in the reign of Pekah by Tiglath-pileser, and that at Bethel ten years later, in the reign of Hoshea, by Shalmaneser (2 Kings 15:29; 17:33). This sin of Jeroboam is almost always mentioned along with his name (2 Kings 15:28 etc.).

CALF, n.

1. The young of the cow, or of the bovine genus of quadrupeds.

2. In contempt, a dolt; an ignorant, stupid person; a weak or cowardly man.

3. The thick fleshy part of the leg behind; so called from its protuberance.

4. The calves of the lips, in Hosea, signify the pure offerings of prayer, praise and thanks-giving.

The calf was held in high esteem by the Jews as food. (1 Samuel 28:24; Luke 15:23) The molten calf prepared by Aaron for the people to worship, (Exodus 32:4) was probably a wooden figure laminated with gold, a process which is known to have existed in Egypt. [AARON]