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A young cow, which is several times alluded to as 'three years old,' as if that was the age when they began to be broken in for labour. Gen. 15: 9; Isa. 15: 5; Jer. 48: 34. They were not usually offered as sacrifices; but it was appointed that one should be slain when an unknown murder was discovered in a field, to put away the guilt of shedding innocent blood. Deut. 21: 1-9. Various symbolical references are made to the heifer. Samson called his wife a heifer with which others had ploughed to discover his riddle. Judges 14:
18. Egypt was like a 'very fair heifer;' and Israel was a 'backsliding or untractable heifer,' though it had been taught and loved to tread out the corn. Jer. 46: 20; Jer. 50: 11; Hosea 4: 16; Hosea 10: 11.