Lead a lamb to slaughter
Meaning
To deceptively guide an innocent or vulnerable person into a perilous or ruinous situation.
Origin
The phrase draws its potent imagery from ancient religious practices and texts, where lambs, symbols of innocence and purity, were literally led to sacrifice. This powerful metaphor was famously solidified in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Isaiah, which describes a 'suffering servant' being 'led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.' This vivid comparison cemented the idea of an unsuspecting, blameless victim being deliberately taken to their doom, a powerful symbol of exploitation and betrayal that has resonated through centuries of language and literature.
Examples
- The corrupt manager knowingly continued to lead the new employees to slaughter, assigning them impossible tasks with no support.
- She felt like a pawn in their corporate game, being led to slaughter as the fall guy for their failed project.