Topical Bible: The Goat: Skin of, often Used As Clothing

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, the skin of goats was a valuable resource, frequently utilized for clothing and other practical purposes. The use of goat skins is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Scriptures, highlighting their significance in the daily lives of the people of the ancient Near East.

Biblical References and Usage

Goat skins were commonly used to create garments, tents, and other essential items. The durability and availability of goat skins made them a practical choice for clothing, especially in a nomadic lifestyle. In the Book of Hebrews, the faithful are commended for their endurance and faith, with a reference to their humble attire: "They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated" (Hebrews 11:37). This passage underscores the simplicity and humility associated with wearing garments made from goat skins.

The use of goat skins is also evident in the construction of the Tabernacle, where they served as a covering. In Exodus 26:14, God instructs Moses, "Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather" . While the specific mention here is of ram skins, the broader context of animal skins, including those of goats, is implied in the craftsmanship and materials used for sacred purposes.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, goats were among the most common domesticated animals, providing not only meat and milk but also hides for various uses. The process of tanning and preparing goat skins for clothing was a skilled craft, essential for creating garments that could withstand the elements. The simplicity of goat skin clothing often symbolized a life of humility and reliance on God's provision, as seen in the lives of the prophets and other faithful individuals.

The use of goat skins also extended beyond clothing. They were employed in making wineskins, as seen in the parable of Jesus: "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined" (Luke 5:37). This illustrates the versatility and importance of goat skins in everyday life and teachings.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

In a spiritual context, goat skins can symbolize the covering and protection provided by God. Just as goat skins were used to cover and protect the body, so too does God offer His protection and provision to His people. The humble attire of goat skins worn by the faithful serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly possessions and the eternal value of spiritual riches.

The use of goat skins in the Bible reflects a broader theme of God's provision through creation. The practical and symbolic roles of goat skins in Scripture highlight the resourcefulness and adaptability of God's people, as well as the deeper spiritual truths conveyed through everyday materials.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 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, afflicted, tormented;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph
... good for nothing, he was the outward skin without the ... in all England up which even
a goat might scarcely ... I have often noticed how soon wicked things die when ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the wicked mans life funeral.htm

The Cocal
... and exactly the colour of his own skin, and dancing ... enlarge into a roaring tideway,
dangerous, often impassable, and ... was not an owl, but a large goat-sucker, a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xiii the cocal.htm

On the Clause, and Shall Come in Glory to Judge the Quick and the ...
... Do not the lips often kiss, and the countenance smile, and the eyes brighten forsooth ...
not the wool show the sheep, and the hairy and rough skin the goat? ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xv on the clause.htm

Letter cxxx. To Demetrias.
... they ask of me; my wits have often been exercised ... and mortified their loins with
girdles of skin, [3627] while ... beds of down, spread a rug of goat's hair upon ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxx to demetrias.htm

Letter xxii. To Eustochium.
... Some clothe themselves in goat's hair, and, putting on hoods ... scarcely anything was
left of me but skin and bone. ... such as those by which we are often mocked, I ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxii to eustochium.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... scraped nearly raw by the operation, he used to cover ... More often the ground is coloured
a fine yellow ... the nobles, who wore a panther's skin, sometimes thrown ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... skull protruded the horns of a goat: the entire ... limited; communications were, therefore,
more often established by ... a man clothed with a fish-skin, which would ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... 8) the evil of sensual allurements, and often, like Crates ... Busyris, Thmuis, which
is, being interpreted, a he-goat. ... musk, which is nothing but the skin of a ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

Dialogue iii. --The Impassible.
... Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and hast ... oracles, [1426] but remember what
we have often confessed. ... object of avoidance and hate, a serpent or a goat? ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/dialogue iii the impassible.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... or cowardly in need of help, whereas the horse is used for the ... It is often mentioned
in ... hath given bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothing to the ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm