Greek word · G5131

τράγος

tragos

he-goat

A male goat. In the Greek Old Testament it appears in lists of animals for sacrifice and in stock phrases about sacrifice.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

τράγος, -ου, ὁ

[in LXX chiefly for עַתּוּד, also for צָפִיר, תַּיִשׁ ;]

a he-goat: Hebrews 9:12-13, 19 10:4.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Hebrews 10:4

Range of meaning

A male goat. In the Greek Old Testament it appears in lists of animals for sacrifice and in stock phrases about sacrifice.

Against the English

"Goats" is fine. English readers miss that "bulls and goats" (ταῦροι καὶ τράγοι) is a quotable phrase. It is not the wording of the Day of Atonement law in Leviticus 16, whose Greek version uses μόσχος ("calf/bull") and χίμαρος ("kid/goat").

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 50:13 (49:13 in the Greek version): "Shall I eat the flesh of bulls (ταύρων) or drink the blood of goats (αἷμα τράγων)?" Isaiah 1:11 in the Greek version: "the blood of bulls and goats I do not want." Hebrews 9:12–13 varies the wording ("goats and calves," "goats and bulls").

Where it appears

Hebrews · 4

  1. Hebrews 9:12 τράγων of goats

    He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

    Here: The male goats of the Day of Atonement, the people's sin offering whose blood the high priest carried behind the curtain (Lev 16:15). The plural sweeps in every year's repetition.

  2. Hebrews 9:13 τράγων of goats

    For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,

    Here: Male goats. On the Day of Atonement a goat was slaughtered as the people's purification offering (Lev 16:15).

  3. Hebrews 9:19 τράγων of goats

    For when Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,

    Here: Male goats. Exodus 24 does not mention them. They come from the Day of Atonement pairing "goats and calves" in Hebrews 9:12–13, which the author carries over to the Sinai scene.

  4. Hebrews 10:4 τράγων of goats

    because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

    Here: Male goats. On the Day of Atonement a goat was offered for the people's sins (Leviticus 16:15). The exact word, though, echoes Psalm 50:13 and Isaiah 1:11 in their Greek versions.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.