Proverbs 14:4
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Original Language Analysis
בְּאֵ֣ין
H369
אֲ֭לָפִים
Where no oxen
H504
אֲ֭לָפִים
Where no oxen
Strong's:
H504
Word #:
2 of 8
a family; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow
תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת
increase
H8393
תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת
increase
Strong's:
H8393
Word #:
6 of 8
income, i.e., produce (literally or figuratively)
Historical Context
Agricultural imagery: oxen were essential for plowing and threshing but required feeding, cleaning, and care. The work they enabled far exceeded the burden they created.
Questions for Reflection
- What 'messes' are you avoiding that would actually produce fruitfulness?
- How does fear of inconvenience keep you from productivity God desires?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox. Without livestock, the barn stays tidy but produces no crops. Productive work creates mess but yields increase. This verse observes that fruitfulness requires accepting inconvenience. The choice: sterile tidiness or messy productivity. Applied broadly: ministry, parenting, business - all productive endeavors create disorder while producing fruit.