I. A SPECIES OF ANIMALS common to mountainous regions. Of the several Hebrew de nominations of this animal there is no doubt, for the simple manners of the ancient Semitic nations mul tiplied the names of the few objects they had con stantly before their eyes; and their domestic ani mals, in particular, received abundant general and distinctive appellations, according to sex, age, race, and conditions of existence or purpose. Among these terms are the (Heb. ak-ko', slender; yaw-ale', climbing; IP, aze, strong; 11:1P, at tood', prepared, and so leader; .1‘31.7, saw-eer', shaggy; Gr. iptotop, ; Tpd-yos, trag'os).
1. Races of Goats. The races either known to or kept by the Hebrew people were probably: (1) Syrian. The domestic Syrian long-eared breed, with horns rather small and variously bent ; the ears longer than the head. and pendu lous; hair long, often black.
(2) Angora. The Angora, or rather Anadoli breed of Asia Minor, with long hair, more or less fine.
(3) Egyptian. The Egyptian breed, with small spiral horns, long brown hair, very long ears.
(4) Hornless. A breed from Upper Egypt, without horns, having the nasal bones singularly elevated, the nose contracted. with the lower jaw protruding the incisors, and the female with ud der very low and purse-shaped. This race, the most degraded by climate and treatment of all the domestic varieties, is clad in long coarse hair, commonly of a rufous brown color, and so early distinct, that the earlier monuments of Egypt represent it with obvious precision.
(5) Wild Goats. Beside the domestic goats, Western Asia is possessed of one or more wild species—all large and vigorous mountain animals, resembling the ibex or bouquetin of the Alps. Of these, Southern Syria, Arabia, Sinai, and the borders of the Red Sea, contain at least one spe cies, known to the Arabs by the name of Beden or Beddan, and Taytal—the Capra !Ma of Ham. Smith, and Capra Sinaitica of Ehrenberg. We take this animal to be that noticed under the name of Yawal, Jaal or Jol, in the plural yoh-lim ( Sam. xxiv :2; Job xxxix :t ; Ps. civ :18; Prov. v 19). The male is considerably taller and more robust than the larger tame he-goats, the horns forming regular curvcs backwards, and with from fifteen to twenty-four transverse elevated cross ridges, being sometimes near three feet long, and exceedingly ponderous ; there is a heard under the chin, and the fur is dark brown ; but the limbs are white, with regular black marks down the front of the legs, with rings of the same color above the knees and on the pasterns. The females are
smaller than the males, more slenderly made, brighter rufous, and with the white and black markings on the legs not so distinctly visible. This species live in troops of fifteen or twenty. and plunge down precipices with the same fearless impetuosity which distinguishes the ibex. Their horns are sold by the Arabs for knife handles. etc.; but the animals themselves are fast diminish ing in number. In Deut. xiv :5 Akko is trans lated 'wild goat.' Schultens (Origines flebraiccr) conjectures that the name arose from its shyness, and consequent readiness to fly.
2. Uses. (1) Sacrifice. The goat was em ployed.by the people of Israel in many respects as their representative. It' was a pure animal for sacrifice (Exod. xii :5), and a kid might be substituted as equivalent to a lamb. Regarding sacrificial offerings we are told that Aaron l'ook two he-goats for a sin-offering for the children of Israel (Lev. xvi :5). These he placed before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle (xvi :7). He cast lots upon them; one lot 'for the Lord' and one lot 'for Azazel' (xvi:8). The goat upon which the lot for the Lord fell (xvi:9) he offered for a sin-offering. After the expiation was com pleted, the second goat, on which fell the lot for Azazel, was brought forward (xvi:10). (See GOAT II., SCAPEGOAT.) He was first placed before the Lord to absolve him. Then Aaron laid his hands upon his head, and confessed over him the (forgiven) iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the children of Israel, put them upon his head, and gave him to a man to take away, in order that he might bear the sins of the people into a soli tary land (xvi:22), into the desert, for Azazel (xvi:to). Then Aaron offered a burnt-offering for himself, and one for the people.