Muzzle

Muzzle - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Grain in the East is usually thrashed by the sheaves being spread out on a floor, over which oxen and cattle are driven to and fro, till the grain is trodden out. Moses ordained that the ox was not to be muzzled while thrashing. It was to be allowed to eat both the grain and the straw (Deut. 25:4). (See [426]AGRICULTURE.)

Muzzle - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

MUZ'ZLE, n.

1. The mouth of a thing; the extreme or end for entrance or discharge; applied chiefly to the end of a tube, as the open end of a common fusee or pistol,or of a bellows.

2. A fastening for the mouth which hinders from biting.

With golden muzzles all their mouths were bound.

MUZ'ZLE, v.t. To bind the mouth; to fasten the mouth to prevent biting or eating.

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Deu 25.

1. To fondle with the mouth close. [Low.]

2. To restrain from hurt.

My dagger muzzled--

MUZ'ZLE, v.i. To bring the mouth near.

The bear muzzles and smells to him.

muz'l (chacam; phimoo) According to the Deuteronomic injunction (De 25:4), the ox was not to be muzzled while treading the grain, i.e. threshing. The muzzle was a guard placed on the mouth of the oxen to prevent them from biting or eating. The threshing ox would have ample opportunity of feeding (compare Ho 10:11). The Deuteronomic injunction is quite in accordance with the humane spirit which inspires it all through. Paul quotes this law in two places (1Co 9:9; 1Ti 5:18) to illustrate his view that the "laborer is worthy of his hire."

T. Lewis