In Biblical times the goat was probably the most prized animal of all cattle, especially in the rocky hills of Judea, where vegetation was scarce - the goat could thrive in sparse areas like this, where other animals would fail!  As a very important item in the people's economy, the goat's hair was spun into fabrics for clothing and woven into sturdy strips to make tents in which they lived.  The durable goatskin made a fine leather, indeed, the famed leather of Morocco, to this day, is made of goatskin!  And for food - goat's milk, soured and cool, was always the kind of luxury one offered to honored guests, in fact, it still is!  Milking a goat was always done directly from the rear and this method is still used in Asia Minor and North Africa today...

When the patriarchs, such as Abraham and Jacob, spoke of the fatness of their herds, although they also had sheep, camels, and asses, you can be sure their herds numbered many more goats than any other animal!