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. Genesis 15:9; Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 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. Deuteronomy 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. Jeremiah 46:20; Jeremiah 50:11; Hosea 4:16; Hosea 10:11 .