In the Bible, she-goats are frequently mentioned as part of the pastoral and agrarian life of the ancient Near East. They are valued for their milk, meat, and hides, and they play a significant role in the sacrificial system and daily life of the Israelites.

Biblical References and Symbolism

She-goats are often mentioned alongside sheep and other livestock, indicating their importance in the economy and sustenance of the people. In Genesis 30:35, Laban separates the male goats from the she-goats as part of an agreement with Jacob, highlighting their role in wealth and inheritance. The Berean Standard Bible states: "That very day Laban removed all the streaked or spotted male goats and all the speckled or spotted female goats—every one that had white on it—and every dark-colored lamb, and he placed them under the care of his sons."

In the sacrificial system, goats, including she-goats, were used as offerings to God. Leviticus 4:28-29 describes the sin offering: "When someone becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for the sin he has committed. He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering."

She-goats also appear in the context of vows and dedications. In Numbers 15:27 , the law provides for a female goat as a sin offering for an individual who sins unintentionally: "Also, if one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering."

Cultural and Economic Significance

In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, she-goats were a source of milk, which was a staple in the diet. Proverbs 27:27 emphasizes the provision of goat's milk: "You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you, your household, and to nourish your maidservants."

The presence of she-goats in flocks was a sign of wealth and prosperity. In Song of Solomon 4:1 , the beauty of the beloved is compared to a flock of goats: "How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead."

Spiritual Lessons and Illustrations

She-goats are used in biblical narratives to convey spiritual truths and lessons. In Matthew 25:32-33 , Jesus uses the imagery of separating sheep from goats to illustrate the final judgment: "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left."

This passage underscores the distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous, with goats symbolizing those who do not follow God's ways. The imagery of goats in this context serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of living a life in accordance with God's commandments.

Conclusion

She-goats, as depicted in the Bible, are integral to the pastoral life and religious practices of the Israelites. They symbolize provision, sacrifice, and the distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness. Through their various mentions in Scripture, she-goats offer insights into the daily life, economy, and spiritual lessons of the biblical world.

The Same is Proved from the visions which Appeared to Jacob.
... the sheep conceived, that I saw them with my eyes in the dream: And, behold, the
he-goats and the rams which leaped upon the sheep and she-goats were spotted ...
/.../chapter lviii the same is proved.htm

On the Animals
... [Prov.27:23]. The goats are the sinners or the gentiles; in Daniel: behold, a male
goat among the she-goats came from the west over the face of the whole land. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iv on the animals.htm

Chapter xxx
... And on that day he removed the striped and spotted he-goats and all speckled and
spotted she-goats and all that had white on them, and all the black among the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxx.htm

Argument. --That God Also Appeared to Jacob as an Angel; Namely ...
... Lift up thine eyes, said He, and see, the he-goats and the rams leaping upon the
sheep, and the she-goats are black and white, and many-coloured, and grizzled ...
/.../chapter xix argument that god also.htm

The Soul's vitality and Intelligence. Its Character and Seat in ...
... a considerable degree, as well as sensation: as in the case of flies, and wasps,
and locusts, when you have cut off their heads; and of she-goats, and tortoises ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter xv the souls vitality and.htm

Chapter xxxii
... And he spent that night there; and he took of that which came to his hand a present
for Esau, his brother: two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxii.htm

Or the Gods of Heaven Should be Said to be Ungrateful If...
... on no other condition do they bestow blessings and turn away what is injurious,
except they have been first bought over with the blood of she-goats and sheep ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/12 or the gods of.htm

Epistle Xlix. To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch .
... truth we remember how the blessed Jacob, who had served long for his wives, said,
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlix to anastasius bishop.htm

The Shepherd of Our Souls.
... from his expostulation with his hard master and relative, Laban""This twenty years
have I been with thee," he says; "thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon xvi the shepherd of.htm

Chapter xxxi
... 38-42. Look here, for twenty years I have been with thee. Thy ewes and thy she-goats
have not miscarried; the rams of thy flock I have not eaten. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxi.htm

She-goats (3 Occurrences)
She-goats. She-goat, She-goats. Shehariah . Multi-Version Concordance
She-goats (3 Occurrences). Genesis 31:10 And at ...
/s/she-goats.htm - 7k

He-goats (38 Occurrences)
... Genesis 31:38 These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats
have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten. ...
/h/he-goats.htm - 18k

Lambs (107 Occurrences)
... Genesis 30:35 And he removed that day the he-goats that were ringstraked and spotted,
and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had ...
/l/lambs.htm - 39k

Females (8 Occurrences)
... Genesis 32:14 Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred females and
twenty males from the sheep, (BBE). Judges 5:30 Do they not find? ...
/f/females.htm - 8k

Dark-colored (4 Occurrences)
... Genesis 30:35 And he removed that day the he-goats that were streaked and spotted,
and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had ...
/d/dark-colored.htm - 7k

Miscarried (1 Occurrence)
... Genesis 31:38 These twenty years I 'am' with thee: thy ewes and thy she-goats have
not miscarried, and the rams of thy flock I have not eaten; (YLT NAS RSV NIV ...
/m/miscarried.htm - 6k

Males (51 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Genesis 32:14 Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred
females and twenty males from the sheep, (Root in BBE). ...
/m/males.htm - 22k

Banded (15 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Genesis 31:10 And at the time when the flock were with young, I saw in a
dream that all the he-goats which were joined with the she-goats were banded and ...
/b/banded.htm - 10k

Coloured (21 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Genesis 31:10 And at the time when the flock were with young, I saw in a
dream that all the he-goats which were joined with the she-goats were banded and ...
/c/coloured.htm - 12k

Shehariah (1 Occurrence)

/s/shehariah.htm - 6k

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