עֵז (ez)
ez
goat
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 71 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ez refers to a female goat, or she-goat. Its root sense connects to strength and vigor, reflecting the animal’s hardy nature in the ancient Near East. While the singular form specifically denotes a female, the plural form, izim, often shifts to masculine agreement and can even stand for goats’ hair when used in compound phrases.
This word appears frequently in the Torah, particularly in Numbers and Leviticus, where it plays a central role in sacrificial law. It is listed alongside lambs and bulls as an acceptable offering for sin or peace (Leviticus 4:23; 9:3). The text also records its use in everyday life, such as when Jacob sends a gift of goats to Esau (Genesis 32:14) or when Rebekah prepares a meal using kid goat meat (Genesis 27:9).
Translators usually render ez simply as "goat" or "she-goat." The distinction matters in legal contexts where the gender of the animal might affect ritual purity or value. In poetic passages, like Song of Solomon 4:1, the imagery of a flock of goats evokes beauty and abundance. The word remains a concrete symbol of pastoral life and religious duty throughout the Hebrew Bible.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ez refers specifically to a female goat, yet its usage in Scripture often extends to the broader flock or even the materials made from them. In the ancient Near East, these animals were prized for their hardiness and resilience, traits that likely influenced their symbolic association with strength and vitality. When you encounter this term in the Torah, it frequently appears in lists of sacrificial offerings alongside lambs and bulls, highlighting its integral role in Israel's worship life.
For your faith journey, ez reminds us that God values the tangible details of daily life. Whether Jacob sent a gift of goats to Esau to seek peace, or the Israelites wove goats' hair into the tabernacle curtains, these animals were part of ordinary existence transformed by divine purpose. This word invites you to see your own resources and everyday contributions as capable of serving God's greater plans.
Understanding ez helps clarify the specific nature of biblical rituals and narratives. It is not merely a generic animal but one with distinct characteristics that mattered in legal and relational contexts. By paying attention to these concrete details, we gain a richer appreciation for how ancient Israelites lived out their faith and how God met them in their daily routines.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 71 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- goats40×
- the/ goats7×
- goat hair<s>3×
- and/ goat hair<s>3×
- a goat3×
- and/ a goat2×
- among the/ goats2×
- <the>/ she-goats2×
- <the>/ goat hair<s>2×
- the/ goat hair<s>1×
- the/ female goats1×
- and/ female goats/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עִזִּ֥ים20×
- עִזִּ֖ים8×
- עִזִּ֔ים5×
- הָֽ/עִזִּ֔ים4×
- הָ/עִזִּ֖ים4×
- עִזִּים֙3×
- עֵ֖ז2×
- עִזִּֽים\׃2×
- וְ/עִזִּֽים\׃2×
- עֵז֙1×
- עֵ֥ז1×
- עֵ֛ז1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 4:28
if his sin which he has sinned is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has sinned.
This verse specifies a female goat for a sin offering, highlighting the importance of gender in ritual purity laws.
-
Genesis 27:9
Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.
Here, Rebekah uses young goats to prepare food, showing how this animal was central to family dynamics and deception.
-
Exodus 26:7
“You shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains.
The use of goats' hair for tabernacle curtains demonstrates how the animal's materials were sacredly repurposed for worship.
-
Leviticus 16:5
He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Two male goats are taken for a sin offering, illustrating the goat's critical role in the Day of Atonement rituals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ez mean in the Bible?
Why are goats mentioned so often in Leviticus?
How is ez different from other words for goat?
Does ez have a symbolic meaning in the New Testament?
Every Occurrence (71 verses across 12 books)
Genesis 10 verses
He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove,…
Genesis 27:9Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as…
Genesis 27:16She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.
Genesis 30:32I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among…
Genesis 30:33So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that…
Genesis 30:35That day, he removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and…
Genesis 31:38“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t…
Genesis 37:31They took Joseph’s tunic, and killed a male goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood.
Genesis 38:17He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”
Genesis 38:20Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but…