Mules, the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, are mentioned several times in the Bible, primarily in the context of transportation and royal use. These animals, known for their strength and endurance, were valued in ancient times for their ability to carry heavy loads and travel long distances.

Biblical References:

1. Royal Use and Symbol of Status:
Mules were often associated with royalty and nobility in the biblical narrative. In 2 Samuel 18:9, Absalom, the son of King David, is described as riding a mule during the battle in the forest of Ephraim. The text states, "Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept going."

Furthermore, in 1 Kings 1:33, King David instructs Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to have Solomon ride on his own mule as a sign of his succession to the throne: "Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon."

2. Trade and Wealth:
Mules were also part of the wealth and trade in the ancient Near East. In 1 Kings 10:25, the wealth of King Solomon is described, noting that "year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons and spices, and horses and mules."

3. Prohibition in Mosaic Law:
The breeding of mules is indirectly addressed in the Mosaic Law. Leviticus 19:19 states, "You must keep My statutes. You must not crossbreed two different kinds of your livestock; you must not sow your field with two kinds of seed; and you must not wear clothing made of two kinds of material." While mules are not explicitly mentioned, the prohibition against crossbreeding different kinds of animals would include the breeding of mules.

4. Symbol of Peace:
Mules, unlike horses, were not typically used in warfare, which may symbolize peace and humility. This is reflected in the choice of a mule for Solomon's coronation, contrasting with the war horses often associated with military power.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, mules were highly prized for their utility and resilience. They were more robust than donkeys and more manageable than horses, making them ideal for traversing the rugged terrain of the region. Their use by kings and nobles underscores their value and the status they conferred upon their riders.

Theological Implications:

The use of mules in the Bible can be seen as a reflection of God's provision and the order He established in creation. The prohibition against crossbreeding in the Mosaic Law highlights the importance of maintaining the distinctions God set forth. Additionally, the peaceful connotations of mules in royal contexts may serve as a reminder of the peace and humility that should characterize godly leadership.

In summary, mules in the Bible are depicted as valuable animals used for transportation, trade, and as symbols of royal authority and peace. Their presence in the biblical narrative provides insight into the cultural and historical practices of the time, as well as theological reflections on God's order and the nature of leadership.6505. pered -- a mule
... 6504, 6505. pered. 6506 . a mule. Transliteration: pered Phonetic Spelling:
(peh'-red) Short Definition: mules. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/6505.htm - 6k

Journey to Evora
... Having engaged with a person for mules to carry us to Evora, which were to be ready
at five next morning, I soon retired to bed, my servant sleeping in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/borrow/letters of george borrow/journey to evora.htm

The Conquest of Babylon.
... boats were generally of very considerable size, and they carried, in addition to
their cargo and crew, one or more beasts of burden"generally asses or mules. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter viii the conquest of.htm

And the Fame of Antony came Even unto Kings. ...
... For I saw the table of the Lord's House, and mules standing around it on all sides
in a ring, and kicking the things therein, just like a herd kicks when it ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/life of antony section 81.htm

San Josef
... and scrub. But the coarse broad-leaved grasses seem to keep the mules in
good condition enough, at least in the rainy season. Most ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter ix san josef.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... and desperate characters, and which I had traversed with no other human companion
than a lad, nearly idiotic, who was to convey back the mules which carried ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 14.htm

Letter iii. --To Ablabius .
... And when we had already found shelter there, and our mules had got a rest, then
the signal for the down-pour was given by God to the air. ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/letter iii to ablabius.htm

! is that Foul Smell...
... that the gods of heaven are honoured by the blood of living creatures being offered
to them, why do you not [4844] sacrifice to them both mules, and elephants ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/16 what say you o.htm

Placidus Attempts to Take Jotapata and is Beaten Off. Vespasian ...
... every legion. Next to these came the mules that carried the engines for sieges,
and the other warlike machines of that nature. After ...
/.../chapter 6 placidus attempts to.htm

The Phenix after Death Coming to Life Again.
... teach all this? Is it that souls never generate? Then, of course, mules
and she-mules are not male and female. Is it that souls ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 33 the phenix after death.htm

How David Fled to Ahimelech and Afterwards to the Kings of the ...
... or spear. Now there was at Nob a servant of Saul, by birth a Syrian, whose
name was Doeg, one that kept the king's mules. The high ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 how david fled.htm

Mules (14 Occurrences)
...Mules (14 Occurrences). ... Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive,
that we not lose all the animals." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV). ...
/m/mules.htm - 11k

Mule (9 Occurrences)
... It is not probable that the Hebrews bred mules, as this was strictly forbidden in
the law (Leviticus 19:19), although their use was not forbidden. ...
/m/mule.htm - 13k

Togarmah (4 Occurrences)
... (1.) A son of Gomer, and grandson of Japheth (Genesis 10:3). (2.) A nation
which traded in horses and mules at the fairs of Tyre (Ezek. ...
/t/togarmah.htm - 9k

245 (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance 245 (3 Occurrences). Ezra 2:66 Their horses were seven
hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; (See NAS NIV). ...
/num/245.htm - 7k

736 (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance 736 (2 Occurrences). Ezra 2:66 Their horses were seven
hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; (See NAS NIV). ...
/num/736.htm - 6k

Forty-five (15 Occurrences)
... (WEB BBE DBY RSV). Ezra 2:66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their
mules, two hundred forty-five; (WEB BBE DBY RSV). Nehemiah ...
/f/forty-five.htm - 10k

Thirty-six (7 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Ezra 2:66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their
mules, two hundred forty-five; (WEB BBE DBY RSV). Nehemiah ...
/t/thirty-six.htm - 8k

Dromedaries (4 Occurrences)
... 8:10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring,
and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and ...
/d/dromedaries.htm - 8k

Dromedary (3 Occurrences)
... Ahasuerus, and sealeth with the signet of the king, and sendeth letters by the hand
of the runners with horses, riders of the dromedary, the mules, the young ...
/d/dromedary.htm - 8k

Camels (52 Occurrences)
... 12:40 Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun
and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen ...
/c/camels.htm - 24k

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