The Ram
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Gen. 31:38, Ex. 29:15-20, Lev. 5:15, Num. 5:8, Deut. 32:14 and others). Rams, from among the small livestock, constituted an important and highly prized class of sacrificial animals, used in the burnt offering, in the thank offerings and peace offerings, and also in the trespass offerings. They were offered in both public and private sacrifices, especially in the purification offerings of the Nazarites, at the consecration of priests, in the offerings of the new moon, and generally in the festival offerings.
Their number in the sacrifices was not uniform: sometimes one ram was offered, sometimes two, often seven, and once even a thousand rams were offered as a burnt offering (1 Chron. 29:21). At the public national offerings, such as at Passover and at the dedication of the temple, the number of rams offered was far greater (1 Kings 8:5, 2 Chron. 29:32).