Goatskins
The Reference in Hebrews
The only explicit New Testament mention of goatskins appears in Hebrews 11:37, within the famous "Hall of Faith" passage. The author describes believers who "went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated." These individuals are presented as heroes of faith who endured extreme suffering rather than compromise their devotion to God. The wearing of animal skins signified their complete poverty and rejection by the society around them.
Goatskins as Prophetic Garb
The prophets of Israel often wore rough garments as a sign of their calling and their separation from worldly luxury. Elijah was known for wearing a garment of hair (2 Kings 1:8), and John the Baptist wore clothing made of camel's hair (Matthew 3:4). While these references specify hair garments rather than skins, they belong to the same tradition of prophetic simplicity. Goatskins and sheepskins represented the most basic, unprocessed form of clothing, far removed from the fine linen and purple robes of the wealthy.
The author of Hebrews connects this prophetic tradition to a broader pattern of faithful suffering. Those who wore goatskins did so not by choice of fashion but because they had been stripped of everything by persecution or had voluntarily given up material comforts for the sake of their calling.
Goatskins in Old Testament Life
Goats were essential animals in ancient Israelite life, providing milk, meat, and material for clothing and tents. Goat hair was woven into fabric for the tabernacle's coverings (Exodus 26:7), and goatskins were used for various practical purposes including water containers and clothing. Rebekah used goatskins to cover Jacob's hands and neck so he would feel hairy like his brother Esau (Genesis 27:16), indicating that goatskin was recognized as rough and similar in texture to human body hair.
The Faith Behind the Garment
The point of Hebrews 11:37 is not the goatskins themselves but what they represent: a faith so profound that it willingly accepts poverty, rejection, and suffering. The passage goes on to say that "the world was not worthy of them" (Hebrews 11:38), a stunning reversal of values. Those whom the world considered worthless outcasts were, in God's assessment, of incomparable worth.
This teaching challenges readers to reconsider what true success and faithfulness look like. The heroes of faith described in Hebrews 11 did not all experience miraculous deliverance; some were sawn in two, imprisoned, and killed. The goatskin-wearers among them represent the hard edge of faith that perseveres without visible reward, trusting in promises not yet fulfilled.
A Continuing Witness
The image of goatskin-clad believers has resonated throughout church history. Early Christian ascetics and monastics embraced voluntary poverty, sometimes literally wearing rough animal skins as a sign of their renunciation. In the broader Near East, religious figures in various traditions have continued the practice, walking through cities in sheepskins or goatskins as visible witnesses to a life detached from material wealth.
Biblical Context
Goatskins are mentioned explicitly in Hebrews 11:37, within the catalogue of faithful sufferers in the 'Hall of Faith' chapter. The broader context (Hebrews 11:35-38) describes believers who endured torture, imprisonment, stoning, and destitution. Related imagery appears in 2 Kings 1:8 (Elijah's hairy garment) and Matthew 3:4 (John the Baptist's camel hair clothing).
Theological Significance
The goatskins of Hebrews 11 symbolize the cost of genuine faith. They remind readers that faithfulness to God may lead to material deprivation rather than prosperity. The passage's declaration that 'the world was not worthy of them' inverts worldly values, affirming that spiritual faithfulness outweighs all earthly loss.
Historical Background
In the ancient Near East, goats were among the most common and versatile domestic animals. Their skins were used for water containers, tents, clothing, and writing materials. Religious ascetics across multiple traditions in the Levant and Mesopotamia adopted rough animal-skin garments as signs of spiritual devotion and worldly renunciation. This practice continued into the early Christian monastic movement.