Context

This line is written by Moses in Leviticus 16:10.

Here Moses is describing a ceremony the Jews would perform in the tabernacle. Basically there are a few goats involved, and most of them get killed, but one lucky goat gets to be "the scapegoat," take the blame for everybody's sins, and run off into the wilderness.

Though it's cast out into the desert, so maybe it's not that lucky after all.

Where you've heard it

A scapegoat is something (usually a person) that gets blamed for something that it isn't really responsible for. Very rarely nowadays is it an actual goat. Maybe you've been the scapegoat before, getting the blame for your brother breaking your mom's favorite glass dish.

We know. It's a hard life.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

This is just another word—let 'er rip.