Lexical Summary tsephir: male Original Word: צְפִיר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance he-goat(Aramaic) corresponding to tsaphiyr; a he-goat -- he (goat). see HEBREW tsaphiyr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to tsaphir Definition male goat NASB Translation male (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [צְפִיר] noun masculine he-goat (see Biblical Hebrew V. צפר); — plural construct צְפִירֵי עִזִּין Ezra 6:17.Topical Lexicon Biblical settingThe sole occurrence of צְפִיר appears at the dedication of the rebuilt temple under Zerubbabel: “They offered… twelve male goats as a sin offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel” (Ezra 6:17). The exiles had returned from captivity, laid the foundation amid opposition, and finally completed the house of God in the sixth year of King Darius. The presence of the male goats signals that the restored community understood its need for covenant cleansing before resuming regular worship. Role in temple dedication Male goats were prescribed in the Torah for sin offerings that dealt with corporate guilt (Leviticus 9:3; Numbers 15:24). By selecting one goat for each tribe, the leaders proclaimed that the entire nation—northern and southern remnants alike—stood under the same gracious provision of divine forgiveness. The offering anchored the new temple to its Mosaic roots, demonstrating that exile had not nullified the law’s requirements or God’s promises. Sacrificial theology 1. Substitution: A flawless male from the herd or flock symbolized sinless life laid down in place of the guilty (Leviticus 4:23–24). Continuity with earlier dedications • At Sinai a sin-offering goat accompanied the ratification of the covenant (Leviticus 9:3–4). Prophetic and typological resonance The Day of Atonement involved two male goats, one slain and one released (Leviticus 16:7-10). While different vocabulary may be used in that chapter, Ezra’s goat offering invites comparison: the necessity of blood, the focus on national sin, and the anticipation of a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. Hebrews 10:4 reminds readers, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins,” driving attention to Jesus Christ, whose death fulfilled what every צְפִיר prefigured. Ministry implications • Worship must begin with atonement. Ministry, building programs, or public celebrations gain legitimacy only when grounded in the cleansing blood God provides. Related passages for study Leviticus 4:22-26; Leviticus 16:5-10; Numbers 29:11; 2 Chronicles 7:5; Hebrews 9:12-14; Hebrews 10:4-14 Forms and Transliterations וּצְפִירֵ֨י וצפירי ū·ṣə·p̄î·rê ūṣəp̄îrê utzefiReiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 6:17 HEB: אַרְבַּ֣ע מְאָ֑ה וּצְפִירֵ֨י עִזִּ֜ין [לְחַטָּיָא NAS: 12male goats, KJV: twelve he goats, INT: four hundred male goats sin 1 Occurrence |