See this page in: Spanish

Lambs of the Bible

Copyrighted © image.

A lamb is a young sheep, frequently one not more than 1 year old.

Two Hebrew words are used in Scripture for “lamb.”

  1. Hebrew: kebes, a male lamb from the first to the third year

  2. Hebrew: taleh, a young sucking lamb (1 Samuel 7:9; Isaiah 65:25)

More information

Sacrifice of lambs to cover sin

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. —Genesis 4:2-5 NKJV excerpt

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. —Hebrews 11:4 NKJV

The Israelites offered the lives of sheep, lambs, goats, and clean other creatures to God in an attempt to cover their many sins

More information

Symbolism

In the symbolic language of Scripture the lamb is the type of meekness and innocence (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25; Luke 10:3; John 21:15).

The Lamb of God

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! —John 1:29 excerpt

The lamb is a symbol of Christ (Genesis 4:4; Exodus 12:3; 29:38; Isaiah 16:1; 53:7; John 1:36; Rev. 13:8). Christ is specifically called “the Lamb of God” by John the Baptist (John 1:29; 1:36), as He was to be the great sacrifice of which the former sacrifices were only types (Numbers 6:12; Leviticus 14:12-17; Isaiah 53:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7).

The Apostle Peter wrote,

…you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times [literally: “at the end of the times”] for the sake of you —1 Peter 1:18-20 NASB

The book of Revelation refers to Christ as the Lamb numerous times.

Article Version: July 17, 2021