### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻêz**, represented by `{{H5795}}`, refers to a **she-goat**. Stemming from a root implying strength, it appears 74 times in 74 unique verses. While its primary meaning is a female goat, the masculine plural form is also used, and the term can be used elliptically to refer to **goat's** hair.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H5795}}` is used in several distinct ways. It is a key animal in the sacrificial system, frequently specified for sin offerings, peace offerings, and burnt offerings [[Leviticus 3:12]]. For a sin offering, the requirement could be for a male "kid of the **goats**" [[Leviticus 4:23]] or a female "kid of the **goats**" [[Leviticus 4:28]]. Goats also signified wealth and sustenance; a great man's assets included a thousand **goats** [[1 Samuel 25:2]], and their milk provided food for the household [[Proverbs 27:27]]. The hair of the **goat** was a vital material, used to make the curtains for the tabernacle [[Exodus 26:7]] and spun by skilled women [[Exodus 35:26]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the role and variety of goats and other livestock:
* `{{H8163}}` **sâʻîyr** (he-goat): This term, meaning shaggy or hairy, often specifies a male goat, particularly a "kid of the **goats**" for a sin offering, and is used alongside `{{H5795}}` in sacrificial contexts [[Leviticus 4:23]].
* `{{H1423}}` **gᵉdîy** (kid): This word for a young goat is often paired with `{{H5795}}` to specify the age of the animal, as when Judah promises a "kid{H1423} from the flock{H5795}" [[Genesis 38:17]].
* `{{H8495}}` **tayish** (he goat): Described as a buck or he-goat given to butting, this term is used to distinguish the male goats from the "she **goats**" `{{H5795}}` when counting flocks [[Genesis 32:14]].
* `{{H6629}}` **tsôʼn** (flock): As a collective name for a flock of sheep or goats, this word provides the general agricultural context in which goats were a primary form of wealth and sustenance [[Genesis 31:38]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5795}}` is most evident in its role within Israel's worship and covenant life.
* **Atonement and Sin Offering:** The goat is central to the laws of atonement. It is repeatedly designated as the required animal for a sin offering, both for individuals and for the entire congregation ([[Leviticus 16:5]], [[Numbers 15:24]]).
* **Covenant Ritual:** The goat was part of the solemn covenant God made with Abram, where a "she **goat**{H5795} of three years old" was one of the animals prepared for the ceremony [[Genesis 15:9]].
* **Prophetic Symbolism:** In prophetic visions, the goat is used symbolically. The prophet Daniel sees a "he **goat**{H5795}" that comes from the west and represents a powerful king [[Daniel 8:5]].
* **Poetic Imagery:** The beauty and movement of goats are used in poetic comparisons, such as in the Song of Solomon, where hair is described "as a flock of **goats**, that appear from mount Gilead" [[Song of Solomon 4:1]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5795}}` is a term with rich and varied applications throughout the Old Testament. Far from being just a common animal, the **goat** functions as a measure of wealth, a source of essential materials for the tabernacle, and, most importantly, a foundational element in the sacrificial system for making atonement. From the flocks of the patriarchs to the prophetic visions of Daniel, the **ʻêz** carries significant practical and theological meaning.