Satyr

The satyr in Hebrew (sa'ir, literally hairy one or goat) refers to a class of demonic or supernatural goat-like creatures associated with desolate, wild places. The same Hebrew word is translated "goat" (Lev. 4:24), "devil" in the sense of an idol in the form of a goat (Lev. 17:7; 2 Chr. 11:15 — where Jeroboam appointed priests to serve the satyrs alongside the golden calves), and "satyr" in prophetic poetry. Isaiah uses the image of satyrs dancing in the ruins of Babylon (Isa. 13:21) and Edom (Isa. 34:14) to picture the desolation of divine judgment: where human civilization stood, only wild creatures of the desert — including these half-mythic beings — will remain. The concept reflects the ancient Near Eastern belief that ruins and waste places were haunted by malevolent spirits or creatures. Leviticus 17:7 explicitly prohibited Israel from sacrificing to the satyrs after whom they lusted, condemning what appears to have been an existing practice of goat-demon worship.