# goat, goatskins, scapegoat, kids

## Definition:

A goat is a medium-sized, four-legged animal which is similar to a sheep and is raised primarily for its milk and meat. A baby goat is called a “kid.”

* Like sheep, goats were important animals of sacrifice, especially at Passover.
* Although goats and sheep can be very similar, these are some ways that they are different:

    * Goats have coarse hair; sheep have wool.
    * The tail of a goat stands up; the tail of a sheep hangs down.
    * Sheep usually like to stay with their herd, but goats are more independent and tend to wander away from their herd.

* In Bible times, goats were often the main source of milk in Israel.
* Goat skins were used for tent coverings and to make bags for holding wine.
* In both the Old and New Testaments, the goat was used as a symbol for unrighteous people, perhaps because of its tendency to wander away from the one taking care of it.
* The Israelites also used goats as symbolic sin bearers. When one goat was sacrificed, the priest would lay his hands on a second, live goat, and send it into the desert as a symbol that the animal was bearing the people’s sins.

(See also: [flock](../other/flock.md), [sacrifice](../other/sacrifice.md), [sheep](../other/sheep.md), [righteous](../kt/righteous.md), [wine](../other/wine.md))

## Bible References:

* [Exodus 12:3-4](rc://en/tn/help/exo/12/03)
* [Genesis 30:32](rc://en/tn/help/gen/30/32)
* [Genesis 31:10](rc://en/tn/help/gen/31/10)
* [Genesis 37:31](rc://en/tn/help/gen/37/31)
* [Leviticus 3:12-14](rc://en/tn/help/lev/03/12)
* [Matthew 25:33](rc://en/tn/help/mat/25/33)

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H0689, H1423, H1429, H3277, H3629, H5795, H5796, H6260, H6629, H6842, H7716, H8163, H8166, H8495, G01220, G20550, G20560, G51310
