The term scapegoat comes from an old Jewish ritual where they would put all the sins of the townspeople onto a goat and then banish that goat from town sending the burden of their sins with it.
Thus only shall Aaron enter the Shrine: with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. And from the Israelite community he shall take two he-goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. Aaron shall take the two he-goats and let them stand […]