Goat
NatureWhat is the meaning of Goat in the Bible?
The term 'goat' refers to the domesticated animal Capra aegagrus hircus and its wild ancestor, the bezoar ibex, which appear frequently in biblical texts as sources of sustenance, materials for clothing and tents, and central figures in ritual sacrifice and symbolic imagery.
SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing the biological and economic realities of goat husbandry in the ancient Near East clarifies the practical and symbolic weight of goat-related passages, revealing how these animals functioned as essential resources and potent metaphors for sin, leadership, and divine judgment in biblical literature.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Goat in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Goat clarify?
Related Topics
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.