1 Corinthians 9:9

1 Corinthians 9:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
• New International Version (NIV)For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
• New Living Translation (NLT)For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this?

Context of 1 Corinthians 9:9

7Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? 8Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 10Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?

1 Corinthians 9:9 word by word

ἐν γὰρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται· οὐ κημώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα. μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• of MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• Thou shaltφιμόωphimoō · to muzzleG5392
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the oxβοῦςbous · oxG1016
• that treadeth out the cornἀλοάωaloaō · to threshG248
• Dothμέλωmelō · to concernG3199
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• ·μήmē · notG3361

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:9

• Deuteronomy 25:4“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.
• 1 Timothy 5:18For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
• Numbers 22:28Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
• Deuteronomy 5:14but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
• Psalms 104:27These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season.
• Psalms 145:15The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season.
• Psalms 147:8Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
• Jonah 4:11And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
• Matthew 6:26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
• Luke 12:24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox - See this largely explained in the note on Deuteronomy 25:4; (note). Doth God take care for oxen? - This question is to be understood thus: Is it likely that God should be solicitous for the comfort of oxen, and be regardless of the welfare of man? In this Divine precept the kindness and providential care of God are very forcibly pointed out. He takes care of oxen; he wills them all that happiness of which their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For it is written - Deuteronomy 25:4. In the law of Moses - See the note at Luke 24:44. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth … - To muzzle means, “to bind the mouth; to fasten the mouth to prevent eating or biting” - Webster. This was done either by passing straps around the mouth, or by placing, as is now sometimes done, a small “basket” over the mouth, fastened by straps to the horns of the animal, so as to prevent its eating, but not to impede its breathing…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10These examples support Paul's point that he and other Christian workers had the right to receive support from those they served.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. ox ... treadeth ... corn--(De 25:4). In the East to the present day they do not after reaping carry the sheaves home to barns as we do, but take them to an area under the open air to be threshed by the oxen treading them with their feet, or else drawing a threshing instrument over them (compare Mi 4:13). Doth God ... care for oxen?--rather, "Is it for the oxen that God careth?" Is the animal the ultimate object for whose sake this law was given? No…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:9

• Animals
• Bullock
• Evil
• Labor
• Minister, Christian
• Quotations and Allusions
• Threshing

In the dictionaries

• God
• Moses
• Law of Moses
• Beast
• Crown
• Forbear
• Mastery
• Plow
• Wait
• Care; Carefulness; Careful

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings