[That] our oxen [may be] strong to labour,.... To draw carriages, to plough with, and to tread out the corn: or "may be burdened" ; fit to carry burdens; or burdened with flesh, be plump and fat, and in good condition to work; or burdened with young, as some understand it, and then it must be meant of cows, as the word is used, De 7:13; and so here an increase of kine is wished for, as of sheep before.
Ministers of the word are compared to oxen for their patience in suffering, and their laboriousness in working, 1Co 9:9 1Ti 5:17; and happy is it for the churches of Christ when their ministers are laborious ones; are strong to labour, and do labour, in the word and doctrine; stand fast in the faith, and quit themselves like men, and are strong;[that there be] no breaking in: of the enemy into the land to invade it, into cities and houses to plunder and spoil them;nor going out: of the city to meet the enemy and fight with him, peace and not war is desirable; or no going out of one's nation into captivity into a foreign country, as Kimchi; or no breaking in to folds and herds, and leading out and driving away cattle, to the loss of the owners thereof.
Some understand both these of abortion, of any violent rupture of the womb, and an immature birth;that [there be] no complaining in our streets; on account of famine, pestilence, the sword, violence, and oppression; or no crying , no mournful cry or howling and shrieking on account of the enemy being at hand, and just ready to enter in, or being there, killing, plundering, and spoiling.
Mylbom "onusti", Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus; "onerarii", so some in Vatablus; "onerati", Schmidt; "loden", Ainsworth, So Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 295. lbid.