כֶּבֶשׂ

a ram (just old enough to butt)

Definition

The Hebrew word כֶּבֶשׂ (kebes) refers specifically to a young male sheep, typically a ram in its first year, just old enough to butt. It is the standard term for a male lamb designated for ritual sacrifice in the Mosaic law. In the Passover instructions (Exodus 12:5), it denotes the unblemished male lamb selected for the household offering. While it most often means a young ram, in some contexts, like the guilt offering in Leviticus 14:12-13, it can refer to the animal more generally as a sacrificial sheep.

Biblical Usage

כֶּבֶשׂ is used almost exclusively in the context of ritual sacrifice, primarily in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It appears in the detailed regulations for daily offerings (Exodus 29:38-41), sin offerings (Leviticus 4:32), purification rites (Leviticus 12:6), and festival sacrifices. Its usage is highly formulaic within priestly texts, emphasizing the required quality (unblemished, male, one year old) of the sacrificial animal.

Etymology

Derived from an unused root meaning 'to dominate' or 'to subdue,' likely referring to the ram's behavior of butting. This connects the animal's name to its characteristic strength and activity. The related verb כָּבַשׁ (kavash, H3533) means 'to subdue' or 'to bring into bondage,' reinforcing the idea of force or mastery inherent in the root.

Semantic Range

This word is central to the theology of atonement and covenant ritual in the Old Testament. The כֶּבֶשׂ, as a prescribed sacrificial animal, points to the need for an unblemished substitute to bear sin and restore relationship with God (as in the Passover lamb of Exodus 12). It prefigures the New Testament concept of Jesus as the 'Lamb of God' (John 1:29), the perfect and final sacrifice. Understanding its specific use for a young, male, flawless animal deepens the appreciation for the cost and precision of biblical sacrifice.

In ancient Israelite culture, sheep were vital for food, wool, and religious practice. A כֶּבֶשׂ represented significant economic value. Its specification as a one-year-old male for sacrifices ensured the offering was from the prime of the flock, representing a genuine cost to the worshiper and the best available. This contrasts with a more generic modern understanding of 'lamb' and highlights the intentionality behind Mosaic law's sacrificial requirements.

שֶׂה (seh, H7716) — A more general term for a sheep or goat, often used for the Passover animal before its specific qualities are detailed. טָלֶה (taleh, H2922) — A young lamb, often a suckling, less specific to gender and not the primary term for ritual sacrifice. אַיִל (ayil, H352) — A mature ram, often used for specific offerings like consecration (Exodus 29:15) or as a symbol of strength.

Word Details

Scripture References