In biblical scripture, lambs are often symbolic of innocence, sacrifice, and redemption. They represent purity and are repeatedly used in the context of offerings and atonement. The following verses highlight the various roles and symbolisms of lambs throughout the Bible.
Bible Verses about Lambs
1. Genesis 22:7 – Abraham’s Test of Faith
“Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?’ ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied. ‘The fire and wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’” – Genesis 22:7
Cross-References
Exodus 12:3 – “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.”
2. Exodus 12:5 – The Passover Lamb
“The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.” – Exodus 12:5
Cross-References
Numbers 9:12 – “They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.”
3. Isaiah 53:7 – The Suffering Servant
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” – Isaiah 53:7
Cross-References
Acts 8:32 – “This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.'”
Isaiah 50:6 – “I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.”
4. Leviticus 4:32 – Sin Offering for the Individual
“If someone brings a lamb as their sin offering, they are to bring a female without defect.” – Leviticus 4:32
Cross-References
Leviticus 5:6 – “As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin.”
Numbers 15:27 – “But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.”
5. John 1:29 – Behold, the Lamb of God
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” – John 1:29
Cross-References
John 1:36 – “When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!'”
6. Revelation 5:12 – Worthy is the Lamb
“In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’” – Revelation 5:12
Cross-References
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood, you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.'”
Revelation 7:10 – “And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'”
7. 1 Peter 1:19 – The Precious Blood of the Lamb
“But with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” – 1 Peter 1:19
Cross-References
Hebrews 9:14 – “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Leviticus 22:20 – “Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.”
8. Exodus 29:39 – Daily Offerings
“Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.” – Exodus 29:39
Cross-References
Numbers 28:4 – “Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight.”
2 Chronicles 13:11 – “Every morning and evening they burn to the Lord burnt offerings and fragrant incense. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him.”
Daniel 9:21 – “While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.”
9. Numbers 6:14 – The Nazirite Offerings
“There they are to present their offerings to the Lord: a year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a fellowship offering,” – Numbers 6:14
Cross-References
Leviticus 14:10 – “On the eighth day they must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil.”
10. Revelation 7:17 – Shepherd of the Lamb
“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” – Revelation 7:17
Cross-References
Psalms 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Revelation 21:4 – “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
John 10:11 – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
11. Revelation 12:11 – Victory through the Lamb
“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” – Revelation 12:11
Cross-References
Revelation 1:5 – “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,”
Hebrews 2:14 – “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—”
12. Isaiah 40:11 – The Tender Shepherd
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” – Isaiah 40:11
Cross-References
John 10:14 – “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—”
Psalm 78:52 – “But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness.”
13. Amos 3:12 – Rescue from Adversity
“This is what the Lord says: ‘As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued, with only the head of a bed and a piece of fabric from a couch.’” – Amos 3:12
Cross-References
1 Samuel 17:34-35 – “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.'”
Hosea 11:10 – “They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.”
14. Ezekiel 34:12 – God’s Care for His People
“As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.” – Ezekiel 34:12
15. Genesis 22:8 – God Provides
“Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.” – Genesis 22:8
Cross-References
Genesis 22:13 – “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.”
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
16. Luke 10:3 – Sent Among Wolves
“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” – Luke 10:3
Cross-References
Matthew 10:16 – “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Philippians 2:15 – “So that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
Acts 20:29 – “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.”
17. Micah 5:8 – The Lion Among the Sheep
“The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue.” – Micah 5:8
Cross-References
Hosea 5:14 – “For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.”
Genesis 49:9 – “You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?”
Amos 3:8 – “The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken—who can but prophesy?”
18. Psalm 23:1 – The Shepherd’s Care
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” – Psalm 23:1
19. Leviticus 22:19 – Acceptable Offerings
“You must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.” – Leviticus 22:19
Cross-References
Genesis 4:4 – “And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,”
20. Jeremiah 11:19 – The Lamb Led to Slaughter
“I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying, ‘Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.’” – Jeremiah 11:19
Cross-References
Lamentations 3:10 – “Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding,”
Luke 23:21 – “But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!'”
21. 1 Samuel 7:9 – Samuel’s Sacrifice
“Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.” – 1 Samuel 7:9
Cross-References
Leviticus 22:27 – “When a calf, a lamb or a goat is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on, it will be acceptable as a food offering presented to the Lord.”
Exodus 24:5 – “Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord.”
Judges 6:26 – “Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”
22. Isaiah 16:1 – Tribute with Lambs
“Send lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela, across the desert, to the mount of Daughter Zion.” – Isaiah 16:1
Cross-References
2 Kings 3:4 – “Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.”
Psalm 72:10 – “May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts.”
Ezekiel 27:15 – “The men of Dedan were your merchants; many coastlands were your customers. They paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.”
23. Titus 2:14 – Christ’s Redeeming Work
“Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” – Titus 2:14
Cross-References
Ephesians 5:2 – “And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Romans 8:2 – “Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
24. Revelation 5:6 – The Slain Lamb
“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.” – Revelation 5:6
25. Exodus 12:3 – The Passover Institution
“Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” – Exodus 12:3
Cross-References
1 Corinthians 5:7 – “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
Numbers 9:2 – “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time.”
26. Hosea 4:16 – The Lord’s Call
“The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow?” – Hosea 4:16
Cross-References
Isaiah 5:17 – “Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich.”
Jeremiah 22:22 – “The wind will drive all your shepherds away, and your allies will go into exile. Then you will be ashamed and disgraced because of all your wickedness.”
Jeremiah 23:3 – “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.”
27. Genesis 31:38 – Jacob’s Testimony
“I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.” – Genesis 31:38
Cross-References
Genesis 30:31 – “What shall I give you?” he asked. “Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them:”
Genesis 31:9 – “So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.”
1 Samuel 25:16 – “Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.”
28. Ezekiel 45:15 – The Sacred Contribution
“Also one sheep is to be taken from every flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the people, declares the Sovereign Lord.” – Ezekiel 45:15
Cross-References
Leviticus 5:15 – “When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, they are to bring to the Lord as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. It is a guilt offering.”
Numbers 28:3 – “Say to them: ‘This is the food offering you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day.”
29. Revelation 14:1 – The Lamb on Mount Zion
“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” – Revelation 14:1
Cross-References
Revelation 7:4 – “Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.”
Hebrews 12:22 – “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,”
30. Revelation 17:14 – The Lamb’s Victory
“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” – Revelation 17:14
Cross-References
Revelation 19:16 – “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.”
1 Timothy 6:15 – “Which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,”
Revelation 19:11 – “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice, he judges and wages war.”
31. Revelation 21:23 – The Lamb is the Light
“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” – Revelation 21:23
Cross-References
Isaiah 60:19 – “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”
Revelation 22:5 – “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
John 8:12 – “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'”
32. Hebrews 10:10 – The Lamb’s Ultimate Sacrifice
“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Hebrews 10:10
Cross-References
Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
John 19:30 – “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
1 John 2:2 – “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Final Thoughts
The significance of lambs in biblical texts offers deep insights into the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and divine care. Often portrayed as sacrificial animals, lambs became symbolic of innocence and unblemished devotion, ultimately finding their fullest expression in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. From the Old Testament rituals to the New Testament fulfillment, lambs serve as reminders of humanity’s need for purification and atonement. They illustrate God’s provision and the necessary cost of redemption.
This symbolism reaches its zenith in the Book of Revelation, where the Lamb is victorious and central to God’s ultimate plan of salvation and restoration. The faithful are encouraged to embrace humility and purity, inspired by the sacrificial nature of lambs, and are called to recognize the profound truth that redemption is not merely a historical event but an ongoing spiritual reality, achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. Understanding these facets allows believers to appreciate deeply the rich tapestry woven throughout the Scriptures and its relevance to their spiritual journey today.