The Hebrew word gᵉdîy, represented by H1423, refers to a young goat (from browsing); kid. It appears 16 times in 16 unique verses. This term is consistently used to denote a young goat, playing a significant role in contexts of hospitality, sacrificial offerings, and divine law.
In the biblical narrative, H1423 is used in several distinct ways. It is frequently presented as a form of payment, gift, or meal prepared for a guest, as when Judah sends a kid to Tamar Genesis 38:17 or when Gideon prepares a kid for the angel of the LORD Judges 6:19. The word is also central to a specific dietary law repeated three times: "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk" (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, Deuteronomy 14:21). Prophetically, the kid appears as a symbol of peace in a restored creation, where "the leopard shall lie down with the kid" Isaiah 11:6. Its vulnerability is used as a metaphor for strength when Samson is described as tearing a lion apart as one would tear a kid Judges 14:6.
Several related words help to contextualize the meaning of a kid:
- H5795 ʻêz (goat): This is the general term for a goat, often used alongside H1423 to specify a young animal from the goats. For example, Jacob is instructed to fetch "two good kids of the goats" Genesis 27:9.
- H2061 zᵉʼêb (wolf): This predator is mentioned in the same prophetic vision as the kid, illustrating a dramatic reversal of the natural order when "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb" and other natural enemies coexist peacefully Isaiah 11:6.
- H5246 nâmêr (leopard): Like the wolf, the leopard is a predator whose peaceful coexistence with the kid signifies a time of complete safety and harmony under divine rule Isaiah 11:6.
- H3196 yayin (wine): This term for wine often appears alongside a kid as part of a provision or offering, highlighting the kid's role in meals and acts of worship 1 Samuel 10:3.
The symbolic weight of H1423 is demonstrated in several key themes:
- Hospitality and Provision: The kid serves as a standard for a valuable and honorable meal, offered to important guests, angels, and prophets, as seen in the accounts of Gideon and Manoah (Judges 6:19, Judges 13:15).
- Ritual and Law: Its inclusion in the specific prohibition against boiling it in its mother's milk elevates the kid from a simple animal to an object of theological and ethical concern within Israel's legal framework Deuteronomy 14:21.
- Messianic Peace: The image of a vulnerable kid resting safely with a leopard is a powerful prophetic symbol of the shalom that will characterize the Messiah's kingdom, where even the most ingrained natural hostilities are removed Isaiah 11:6.
- Sacred Offerings: A kid was a common and acceptable animal for offerings made to God, whether as a formal sacrifice or as part of a sacred meal presented to the LORD (Judges 13:19, 1 Samuel 10:3).
In summary, H1423 is a specific term with broad significance. While literally meaning a young goat, it functions as a key element in social transactions, legal codes, and prophetic imagery. From a simple meal to a symbol of eschatological peace, the kid consistently represents concepts of provision, value, vulnerability, and divinely-instituted harmony.
TRV