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(6.) Hebrews tayish, a “striker” or “butter,” rendered “he-goat” (Genesis 30:35; 32:14).
(7.) Hebrews ‘azazel (q.v.), the “scapegoat” (Leviticus 16:8, 10,26).
(8.) There are two Hebrew words used to denote the undomesticated goat:, Yael, only in plural mountain goats (1 Samuel 24:2; Job 39:1; Psalm 104:18). It is derived from a word meaning “to climb.” It is the ibex, which abounded in the mountainous parts of Moab. And ’akko, only in Deuteronomy 14:5, the wild goat.
Goats are mentioned in the New Testament in Matthew 25:32,33; Hebrews 9:12,13, 19; 10:4. They represent oppressors and wicked men (Ezekiel 34:17; 39:18; Matthew 25:33).
Several varieties of the goat were familiar to the Hebrews. They had an important place in their rural economy on account of the milk they afforded and the excellency of the flesh of the kid. They formed an important part of pastoral wealth (Genesis 31:10, 12;32:14; 1 Samuel 25:2).
•GOATH a lowing, a place near Jerusalem, mentioned only in Jeremiah 31:39.
•GOB a pit, a place mentioned in 2 Samuel 21:18, 19; called also Gezer, in 1 Chronicles 20:4.
•GOBLET a laver or trough for washing garments. In Cant. 7:2, a bowl or drinking vessel, a bowl for mixing wine; in Exodus 24:6, a sacrificial basin. (See CUP.)
•GOD (A.S. and Dutch God; Daniel Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word
meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah, plural ’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Psalm 14:1).
The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:
(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.
(2.) The a posteriori argument, by which we proceed logically from the facts of experience to causes. These arguments are,
(a) The cosmological, by which it is proved that there must be a First Cause of all things, for every effect must have a cause.
(b) The teleological, or the argument from design. We see everywhere the operations of an intelligent Cause in nature.
(c) The moral argument, called also the anthropological argument, based on the moral consciousness and the history of mankind, which exhibits a moral order and purpose which can only be explained on the supposition of the existence of God. Conscience and human history testify that “verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.”
The attributes of God are set forth in order by Moses in Exodus 34:6,7. (see also Deuteronomy 6:4; 10:17; Numbers 16:22; Exodus 15:11; 33:19;
Isaiah 44:6; Habakkuk 3:6; Psalm 102:26; Job 34:12.) They are also systematically classified in Revelation 5:12 and 7:12.
God’s attributes are spoken of by some as absolute, i.e., such as belong to his essence as Jehovah, Jah, etc.; and relative, i.e., such as are ascribed to him with relation to his creatures. Others distinguish them into communicable, i.e., those which can be imparted in degree to his creatures: goodness, holiness, wisdom, etc.; and incommunicable, which cannot be so imparted: independence, immutability, immensity, and eternity. They are by some also divided into natural attributes, eternity, immensity, etc.; and moral, holiness, goodness, etc.