Goat-skins hold a significant place in biblical history and culture, serving various practical and symbolic purposes throughout the Scriptures. In the ancient Near East, goats were valuable livestock, providing milk, meat, and hides. The skins of goats were particularly useful due to their durability and versatility.

Biblical References and Uses

1. Tents and Coverings: Goat-skins were commonly used in the construction of tents, which were the primary dwellings for the nomadic patriarchs. In the account of the Tabernacle, goat hair was used to make the curtains that covered the sacred structure. Exodus 26:7 states, "You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all." This use underscores the importance of goat-skins in providing shelter and protection.

2. Clothing and Garments: Goat-skins were also fashioned into clothing. In Hebrews 11:37, the faithful are described as having "wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. They were destitute, persecuted, and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground." This passage highlights the use of goat-skins as garments for those who lived in austere conditions, emphasizing their resilience and adaptability.

3. Symbol of Atonement and Sacrifice: Goats played a crucial role in the sacrificial system of Israel. On the Day of Atonement, two goats were used—one as a sin offering and the other as the scapegoat. Leviticus 16:10 explains, "But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat." While the focus here is on the goats themselves, the use of their skins in various contexts serves as a reminder of their sacrificial significance.

4. Containers and Storage: Goat-skins were often used to create containers for storing liquids, such as wine and water. These skin bottles were practical for transport and storage, as they were flexible and could be sealed tightly. Jesus alludes to this practice in Matthew 9:17, saying, "Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

In biblical times, goat-skins were not merely utilitarian but also carried cultural and symbolic meanings. The use of goat-skins in various aspects of daily life reflects the resourcefulness and ingenuity of ancient peoples. Moreover, the association of goats with sacrifice and atonement imbues goat-skins with a deeper spiritual significance, pointing to themes of redemption and purification.

The practical applications of goat-skins, from shelter to clothing to containers, illustrate the interconnectedness of daily life and spiritual practice in the biblical narrative. As such, goat-skins serve as a testament to the provision and sustenance that God offers to His people, both physically and spiritually.1192. derma -- the skin
... Word Origin from dero Definition the skin NASB Word Usage goatskins* (1). skin.
From dero; a hide -- skin. see GREEK dero. (dermasin) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1192.htm - 6k

122. aigeios -- of a goat
... Word Origin from aix (a goat) Definition of a goat NASB Word Usage goatskins*
(1). goat. From aix (a goat); belonging to a goat -- goat. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/122.htm - 6k

Hebrews xi. 37, 38
... Hebrews xi. 37, 38. Hebrews xi.37, 38 "They wandered about in sheep-skins, and
goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom this [3337] world was ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxviii hebrews xi 37.htm

Footnotes:
... they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword:
they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted ...
//christianbookshelf.org/groves/christian devotedness/footnotes .htm

Faith and Courage.
... They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword:
they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted ...
/.../moody/to the work to the work/chapter iii faith and courage.htm

Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
... They were stoned; they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword;
they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon ix jeremiah a lesson.htm

A Cloud of Witnesses.
... they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with
the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter xiii a cloud of.htm

The Security of the Church
... Into every nation of the earth have they wandered; in sheepskins and goatskins have
they been clothed; their houses have been in the rocks and their sleeping ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the security of the church.htm

Distinguishing Grace
... They are not walking about in sheepskins and goatskins, persecuted, afflicted, and
tormented; but still they are hungry, and no man gives them to eat; they are ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/distinguishing grace.htm

The Saints as Examples of Humility.
... Let us be imitators also of those who in goat-skins and sheep-skins [72] went about
proclaiming the coming of Christ; I mean Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel among ...
/.../chapter xvii the saints as examples.htm

Manasseh and Josiah
... they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword:
they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 32 manasseh and josiah.htm

The Saints as Examples of Humility.
... Let us be imitators also of those who in goat-skins and sheep-skins [4079] went
about proclaiming the coming of Christ; I mean Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel ...
/.../keith/the epistles of clement/chapter xvii the saints as examples.htm

Goatskins (8 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia GOATSKINS. got'-skinz (en ... all things worldly.
Multi-Version Concordance Goatskins (8 Occurrences). ...
/g/goatskins.htm - 8k

Goat-skins (1 Occurrence)
Goat-skins. Goatskins, Goat-skins. Gob . Multi-Version Concordance Goat-skins
(1 Occurrence). ... Goatskins, Goat-skins. Gob . Reference Bible.
/g/goat-skins.htm - 6k

Goatskin (7 Occurrences)

/g/goatskin.htm - 8k

Gob (3 Occurrences)

/g/gob.htm - 8k

Killing (41 Occurrences)
... they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried; in the killing of the
sword they died; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins -- being destitute ...
/k/killing.htm - 19k

Knives (12 Occurrences)
... were stoned, they were cut up with knives, they were tested, they were put to death
with the sword, they went about in sheepskins and in goatskins; being poor ...
/k/knives.htm - 10k

Goats (134 Occurrences)
... 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the
sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute ...
/g/goats.htm - 37k

Wandered (29 Occurrences)
... 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the
sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute ...
/w/wandered.htm - 15k

Ill-treated (7 Occurrences)
... They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins
and in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (WEB ASV NAS RSV). ...
/i/ill-treated.htm - 8k

Injuriously (13 Occurrences)
... they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried; in the killing of the
sword they died; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins -- being destitute ...
/i/injuriously.htm - 10k

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