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Bible Dictionaries
Goat
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Goat. There are many varieties of the goat; four were most likely known to the Hebrews: 1. The domestic Syrian long-eared breed, with horns rather small and variously bent; the ears longer than the head, and pendulous; hair long, often black. 2. The Angora, or rather Anadolia breed of Asia Minor, with long hair, more or less fine. 3. The Egyptian goat, with small spiral horns, long brown hair, and very long ears. 4. A goat of Upper Egypt without horns, having the nasal bones singularly elevated, the nose contracted, with the lower jaw protruding the incisors. Genesis 15:9. Several words are used in Hebrew for this animal. Goats constituted a large part of Hebrew flocks; for the milk and the flesh were articles of food. Genesis 27:9; 1 Samuel 25:2; Proverbs 27:27. As clean animals they were used in sacrifice, Exodus 12:5; Hebrews 9:13; and their hair was manufactured into a thick cloth. Of this, one of the coverings of the tabernacle was made, Exodus 25:4; Exodus 26:7; and it was on this material that in all probability Paul was employed. Acts 18:3. There is a Hebrew word also which occurs four times, rendered thrice "wild goats." 1 Samuel 24:2; Job 39:1; Psalms 104:18, and once "roe," R. V. "doe," Proverbs 5:19. This, there can be little doubt, is the ibex, which is specially formed for climbing, its forelegs being shorter than the hinder. The word translated "devils," R. V. "he-goats," in Leviticus 17:7; 2 Chronicles 11:15, is one of the ordinary terms for a goat, signifying hairy. This animal is sometimes introduced in Scripture symbolically, as in Daniel 8:5; Daniel 8:21; comp. Matthew 25:32-33.
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Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Goat'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/g/goat.html. 1893.
