The Hebrew word ya-el appears three times in the Bible. In English translations it is usually translated as “wild goat,” and in some modern translations, as “mountain-goat.” In actuality, the Hebrew ya-el is the ibex (Capra ibex nubiana), one of the loveliest and most agile members of the cattle family. Each Biblical reference to the ibex reflects how well our ancestors understood nature and how subtly they used this knowledge to give deeper meaning to the text. In the book of Job when God wants to tell Job that there are some things that man is not intended to […]
