WAM - Word A Month - Lamb

Lamb

Hebrew: שֶׂה (seh) – Strong’s #7716
Related Words: כֶּבֶשׂ (keves) – male lamb; טָלֶה (taleh) – young lamb

Definition

1. A young sheep, often one year old or less
2. An animal chosen and set apart for offering
3. A Scriptural symbol of provision, innocence, and redemption

Hebrew Insight

The Hebrew word שֶׂה (seh) is a broad term referring to a small flock animal, most often a lamb.

In Scripture, the lamb is not defined merely by age—but by purpose.

It is:

• Chosen
• Set apart
• Given

The lamb becomes a picture of something יהוה Himself provides.

Key Scriptures

Berĕshith (Genesis) 22:7–8

“And Yitsḥaq spoke to Aḇraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ And he said, ‘See, the fire and the wood! But where is the lamb for an ascending offering?’
And Aḇraham said, ‘My son, Elohim does provide for Himself the lamb for an ascending offering.’ And the two of them went together.”

Shemoth (Exodus) 12:3

“Speak to all the congregation of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this new moon each one of them is to take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.’”

Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 17:34–35

“Then Dawiḏ said to Sha’ul, ‘Your servant has been tending sheep for his father, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and rescued it from its mouth. And when it rose against me, I took hold of it by its beard, and struck it and killed it.’”

Yeshayah (Isaiah) 53:6–7

“We all, like sheep, went astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. And יהוה has laid on Him the crookedness of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth.”

Yoḥanan (John) 1:29

“On the next day Yoḥanan saw יהושע coming toward him, and said, ‘See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!’”

The Lamb Provided

The first mention of the lamb in Berĕshith reveals something foundational:

“Elohim does provide for Himself the lamb…”

The lamb is not man’s idea—it is יהוה’s provision.

Before the need is fulfilled, the promise is spoken.

A Lamb for the Household

In Mitsrayim, the instruction is clear:

• A lamb is chosen
• A lamb is assigned to a household
• A lamb becomes the covering

This was personal.

Not just a lamb for a nation—but
a lamb for each home.

The Value of the Lamb

In the account of Dawiḏ, we see the worth of even one lamb.

A shepherd:

• Pursues
• Fights
• Rescues

A lamb is not disposable—it is worth defending.

The Silent Lamb

Yeshayahu gives us a deeper picture:

“He was led as a lamb to the slaughter…”

The lamb is marked by:

• Submission
• Silence
• Willingness

It does not resist—it is given.

The Lamb Revealed

When Yoḥanan declares:

“See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!”

He connects every thread:

• The lamb provided
• The lamb chosen for the house
• The lamb worth rescuing
• The lamb led in silence

All revealed in one.

Understanding the Pattern

The lamb in Scripture is never random.

It shows us:

• יהוה  provides what is needed
• יהוה  assigns covering personally
• יהוה values what belongs to Him
• יהוה’s plan unfolds with purpose

Reflection

The lamb teaches us to recognize:

• Provision often comes before we understand it
• What is set apart is intentional
• Deliverance is not distant—it is brought near

Shalom!

JS