the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Bible Dictionaries
Ram
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words
or 'Ayil (אַיִל, Strong's #352), “ram.” This word, which has cognates in Ugaritic, Egyptian, and Coptic, occurs in biblical Hebrew about 164 times and in all periods.
'Ayil represents a male sheep or “ram.” The word first appears in Gen. 15:9, where God told Abram: “Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” These animals were often used in sacrificing (cf. Gen. 22:13). They were eaten (Gen. 31:38), and the wool used to make clothing (cf. 2 Kings 3:4). Consequently, as highly valuable animals, such “rams” were selected by Jacob to be part of a peace present sent to Esau (Gen. 32:14).
Many passages use 'ayil as a figure of despots or mighty men: “Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them …” (Exod. 15:15). The king of Babylon deported Judah’s kings, princes, and the “mighty of the land” (Ezek. 17:13). In the first instance the word represents chiefs in the sense of head political figures, whereas in the second use it appears to signify lesser figures. An even more powerful figure is in view in Ezek. 31:11, where 'ayil represents a central, powerful, earthly figure who will ruthlessly destroy Assyria: “I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.”
Yôbêl (יֹבֵל, Strong's #3104), “ram; ram’s horn; jubilee year.” Cognates of this word appear in late Aramaic, Phoenician, and Arabic. The 27 biblical appearances of the noun all occur before the Book of Judges. First, this word means “ram’s horn”: “When the ram’s horn [v, “trumpet”] sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain” (Exod. 19:13—the first occurrence). In Josh. 6:5 the word is preceded by the Hebrew word for “horn,” which is modified by yôbêl, “horn of a ram.”
Second, this word signifies “jubilee year.” The law concerning this institution is recorded in Lev. 25:8-15; 27:16-25. In the fiftieth year on the Day of Atonement jubilee was to be declared. All land was to return to the individual or family to whom it had originally belonged by inheritance, even if he (or she) were in bondservice. When land was valued in anticipation of selling it or devoting it to God, it was to be valued in terms of anticipated productivity prior to the year of jubilee. Between jubilees land might be redeemed for its productivity value. City property, however, must be redeemed within a year of its sale or loss. Levitical property was not subject to these rules. Israelites who fell into bondage were to be released in the jubilee year, or redeemed in the interim period.
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Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Ram'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/vot/r/ram.html. 1940.
