Bible Dictionary
Ox goad
An ox goad was a long pointed instrument used to drive cattle. Shamgar used one as a weapon when he struck down six hundred Philistines.
Definition
An ox goad was a long, pointed implement used by a ploughman to drive cattle. It could be a substantial weapon, with an iron spear at one end and a flattened piece of iron at the other. One reported goad was made of the oak of Bashan and measured more than ten feet in length.
Biblical Usage
The ox goad is mentioned in connection with Shamgar, who used it as a weapon to strike down six hundred Philistines. Its biblical appearance illustrates how an ordinary agricultural tool could be employed effectively in battle.
Historical Background
The goad remained in the hand of the ploughman, though its length, point, and iron fittings made it suitable for use by a warrior. Its form explains how a tool of husbandry could also serve as a formidable weapon.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Mentioned only in Judg. 3:31, the weapon with which Shamgar (q.v.) slew six hundred Philistines. “The ploughman still carries his goad, a weapon apparently more fitted for the hand of the soldier than the peaceful husbandman. The one I saw was of the ‘oak of Bashan,’ and measured upwards of ten feet in length. At one end was an iron spear, and at the other a piece of the same metal flattened. One can well understand how a warrior might use such a weapon with effect in the battle-field” (Porter’s Syria, etc.). (See GOAD.)