In biblical times, the term "year-old" often refers to the age of animals, particularly in the context of sacrificial offerings. The specification of age in sacrificial animals is significant, as it reflects the requirements set by God for offerings that are pure, unblemished, and in their prime. The use of year-old animals is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.

Sacrificial Offerings

The requirement for year-old animals is first prominently mentioned in the context of the Passover lamb. In Exodus 12:5, the Israelites are instructed: "Your lamb must be an unblemished year-old male, and you may take it from the sheep or the goats." This command underscores the importance of offering the best to God, as a year-old lamb or goat would be in its prime, symbolizing purity and perfection.

In Leviticus, the year-old animal is again specified for various offerings. Leviticus 9:3 instructs, "And to the Israelites you are to say, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb, both a year old and without blemish, for a burnt offering.’" The emphasis on the age and condition of the animal highlights the need for offerings that are without defect, representing the holiness and righteousness required by God.

Symbolism and Significance

The use of year-old animals in sacrifices is rich in symbolism. A year-old animal is mature yet still young, representing the vigor and vitality that is to be dedicated to God. This requirement can be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who is often referred to as the "Lamb of God." Just as the year-old lamb was to be without blemish, Christ was sinless and perfect, fulfilling the sacrificial system's requirements once and for all.

Other References

In addition to sacrificial contexts, the term "year-old" appears in other biblical narratives. For instance, in Genesis 21:8, the weaning of Isaac is mentioned: "So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned." While the exact age of weaning is not specified, it is traditionally understood to occur around the age of two or three, marking a significant milestone in a child's early years.

The concept of a year-old animal or child in the Bible often signifies a stage of development that is both significant and transitional. In the case of animals, it marks their readiness for sacrifice, while in human terms, it can denote a stage of growth and change.

Conclusion

The biblical use of "year-old" in reference to sacrificial animals underscores the importance of offering the best to God, reflecting themes of purity, dedication, and foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. This term, while seemingly simple, carries deep theological significance within the biblical narrative.8027. shalash -- to do a third time, divide into three parts
... divide into three parts (1), do it a third time (1), stayed for three days (1),
third time (2), three (2), three days (1), three parts (1), three year old (3). ...
/hebrew/8027.htm - 6k

7969. shalosh -- a three, triad
... 12), thirteenth* (11), thirty (2), thirty-three* (7), three (267), three things
(6), three-pronged* (1), three-tenths* (8), three-year-old (1), twenty-third* (7 ...
/hebrew/7969.htm - 7k

Supplementary Note to Chapter ii. The Year of Christ's Birth.
... The wise men had not told him that the child was a year old"it was obvious that
they thought very differently"but the tyrant butchered all who came, within ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/supplementary note to chapter ii.htm

Samuel the Boy Prophet
... Then she took him with her, and a three-year-old ox, a bushel of flour, and a skin
of wine, and brought him to the temple of Jehovah at Shiloh. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/samuel the boy prophet.htm

Birth and Ancestry
... town lots. My parents remained in Iowa until I was a year old, and then
moved to Illinois, where they remained for two years. When ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter i birth and ancestry.htm

Flight into Egypt and Slaughter of the Bethlehem Children.
... under [According to Jewish reckoning this would mean all children from birth up
to between twelve and thirteen months old, all past one year old being counted ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xiv flight into egypt and.htm

Life of Bede
... compare the story of the little boy, Aesica, at Barking, related by Bede, and of
Elfied, the daughter of Oswy, dedicated by her father before she was a year old ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/life of bede.htm

Ignorance of the Seed Makes no Difference.
... fall of snow. Turning, he saw his two year-old boy endeavoring to put his
tiny feet in his own great footprints. The little fellow ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter vi ignorance of the.htm

Of the Priesthood of Aaron.
... They brought also a young bullock, and a ram, with a lamb of a year old, for a whole
burnt-offering, as also a goat for the forgiveness of sins. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 of the priesthood.htm

Chapter xv
... 9, 10. And He said to him: Take me a three year old heifer, a three year old
she-goat, a three year old ram and a turtledove and a young pigeon. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xv.htm

New York Ministerium.
... Already at his entrance in Halle, one of the professors greeted the nineteen-year-
old giant with the words, 'Quanta ossa! Quantum robur! What bones! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bente/american lutheranism/new york ministerium.htm

July the Fourth Emptying Oneself
... to be witnessed. A cricketer of world-wide renown was playing a game with
Mr. Horne's little four-year-old son! And the fierce bowler ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/july the fourth emptying oneself.htm

Year-old (6 Occurrences)
Year-old. Yearns, Year-old. Years . Multi-Version Concordance
Year-old (6 Occurrences). Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall ...
/y/year-old.htm - 8k

Three-year-old (1 Occurrence)
Three-year-old. Three-year, Three-year-old. Thresh . Multi-Version
Concordance Three-year-old (1 Occurrence). 1 Samuel ...
/t/three-year-old.htm - 6k

Bulls (68 Occurrences)
... Numbers 7:87 all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, the rams twelve,
the male lambs a yearold twelve, and their meal offering; and the male goats ...
/b/bulls.htm - 27k

Fourteen (26 Occurrences)
... offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh;
thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a yearold; they shall be ...
/f/fourteen.htm - 15k

Rams (81 Occurrences)
... NIV). Leviticus 23:18 You shall present with the bread seven lambs without
blemish a yearold, one young bull, and two rams. They ...
/r/rams.htm - 33k

He-goats (38 Occurrences)
... Numbers 7:17 and for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five
he-goats, five he-lambs a yearold: this was the oblation of Nahshon the son ...
/h/he-goats.htm - 18k

Lambs (107 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV). Exodus 29:38 "Now this is that which you shall
offer on the altar: two lambs a yearold day by day continually. ...
/l/lambs.htm - 39k

Defect (62 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a yearold. You shall
take it from the sheep, or from the goats: (See NIV). ...
/d/defect.htm - 25k

Peace-offerings (82 Occurrences)
... (See JPS ASV WBS YLT). Leviticus 23:19 And ye shall offer one he-goat for a
sin-offering, and two he-lambs a yearold for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. ...
/p/peace-offerings.htm - 33k

Goats (134 Occurrences)
... a very grievous pestilence. (See NIV). Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall be without
blemish, a male a yearold. You shall take it from ...
/g/goats.htm - 37k

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