the.com/scapegoat
the one who carries everyone's sins out the door so the guilty can sleep
means a person or group blamed and punished for the faults or wrongs of others, often unfairly.
from Coined by William Tyndale in his 1530 English Bible to render a tricky Hebrew word in Leviticus. On the Day of Atonement two goats were chosen: one sacrificed, the other symbolically loaded with the people's sins and driven into the wilderness. The Hebrew azazel was read as ez ozel, 'the goat that departs' — so Tyndale wrote 'escape goat,' which wore down to 'scapegoat.' The figurative human sense, the blameless soul made to bear the blame, came later, in the 19th century.
- biblical origin
- Ancient Hebrews loaded sins onto a goat, then released it into wilderness
- two goats
- One was sacrificed, the other walked away cursed
- word coined
- William Tyndale invented the term in his 1530 Bible
- psychology
- Groups blame one member to avoid facing collective failure
- still alive
- Modern offices run on this exact ancient ritual
julius caesar — roman senators blamed him for corruption and tyranny before assassinating him in 44 bce
lee harvey oswald — accused as the sole shooter of jfk in 1963, though theories persist about broader conspiracy
tonya harding — us figure skater blamed for nancy kerrigan's 1994 attack; investigation suggested involvement but cultural narrative solidified her guilt