A large sea animal that swims slowly in shallow waters and feeds on underwater plants. Its exact identification is uncertain.
About Dugong
This animal is only mentioned in Scripture with regard to the leather made from its skin. It is clear that its hide made very good leather. The KJV “badger” and RSV “goat” are almost certainly mistranslations. NEB ’s “porpoise” has more support since an Arabic word very similar to the Hebrew refers to the porpoise or dolphin. However catching sufficient porpoises to make a covering for the tabernacle would have been problematic for the Israelites since these animals live entirely in the sea while the Israelites were not a seagoing nation.
Key References
ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;
And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.
All Scripture References (14)
Exodus (6)
ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;
Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.
ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;
Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or articles of fine leather, brought them.
Additionally, he made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.
the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the veil of the covering;
Numbers (7)
They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.
And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.
Then they shall wrap it and all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.
Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles.
They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.
and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.
They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
Ezekiel (1)
I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.