unfoldingWord_en_tw/bible/other/goat/01.md

goat, kid

Definition

A goat is a medium-sized, four-legged animal, that 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 have some similarities to sheep, there are also some clear differences:
• Goats have dark, coarse hair, but sheep have wool.
• The tail of a goat stands up, but the tail of a sheep hangs down.
• Goats are curious and don't stay in a group to follow a goatherd, but sheep like to stay in the safety of the whole herd and tend to follow their shepherd.
• In Bible times, goats were the main source of milk in Israel.
• Goat skins were used for tent coverings and wine bottles.
• In both the Old and New Testaments, goats were used as symbols for unrighteous people, perhaps because of their tendency to wander away from the one taking care of them.
• 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 of the animal bearing the people's sins.