Jeanne in MN Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 A friend recently told me that dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible. I had never heard that so when I was reading about the mention of dinosaurs in our MOH, I was very curious. MOH claims that there is evidence in the Bible that man could have co-existed with dinosaurs. They gave the examples of the Behemoth in Job 40:15that "could have been an Apatosaurus or a Brachiosaurus". I was duly impressed until I went to my Bible, looked the verse up and then read the footnotes claiming it was most likely a hippopotomus! MOH goes on to mention the Leviathan in Job 41:1-8 that "sounds a lot like a huge dinosaur." Again I check it out in my Bible and it claims a Leviathan may have been an alligator. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm really curious now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friederike in Persia Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Cant' remember where I read it, but various commentaries say, that Job's probably referring to a hippo. Whereas it looks like the Levithian might well have been a dino. Is this the first time that you've come across the thought that man coexisted with dinosaurs? I even believe they made it on the ark and then died out later and that with a univeristy degree in biology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane in NH Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Those who generally believe in a "young earth" think that those two Bible passages refer to a dinosaur. They say that hippos don't have a tail of a cedar as the Bible passage I believe says. On the other hand, people who are "old earth" generally don't think those passages are referring to a dinosaur. I think a lot depends on your overall outlook on the "young earth" and "old earth" debate to see how that particular passage is understood... JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I always thought a Behemoth was a land creature and Leviathans are ocean-types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in GA Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 then you've heard that Leviathan is a whale! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Short answer: BEHEMETH = land beast From the Hebrew word "behemah", almost always referring to cattle; occasionally refers to wild beasts -- in Job 40:15-24 most likely referring to a hippopotamus. LEVIATHAN = large water creature From the Hebrew word "livyathan", sometimes meaning a whale, sometimes used figuratively to represent a cruel enemy. Long answer: BEHEMETH "Behemah" is the Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for: "...beast; animal; domesticated animal; cattle; riding beast; wild beast... Infrequently, behemah represents any wild, four-footed, undomesticated beast: 'And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall [frighten] them away' (Deut. 28:26)." -- Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (W.E. Vine) (Job 40:15-24). Some have supposed this to be an Egyptian word meaning a "water-ox." The Revised Version has here in the margin "hippopotamus," which is probably the correct rendering of the word. The word occurs frequently in Scripture, but, except here, always as a common name, and translated "beast" or "cattle." -- Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (Dictionary.com = http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=behemoth) LEVIATHAN "1382, from L.L. leviathan, from Heb. livyathan "dragon, serpent, huge sea animal," of unknown origin, perhaps related to liwyah "wreath," from base l-w-h- "to wind, turn, twist." -- Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper (Dictionary.Com = http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leviathan'>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leviathan'>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leviathan'>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leviathan) "A transliterated Hebrew word (livyathan), meaning "twisted," "coiled." In Job 3:8, Revised Version, and marg. of Authorized Version, it denotes the dragon which, according to Eastern tradition, is an enemy of light; in 41:1 the crocodile is meant; in Ps. 104:26 it "denotes any large animal that moves by writhing or wriggling the body, the whale, the monsters of the deep." This word is also used figuratively for a cruel enemy, as some think "the Egyptian host, crushed by the divine power, and cast on the shores of the Red Sea" (Ps. 74:14). As used in Isa. 27:1, "leviathan the piercing [R.V. 'swift'] serpent, even leviathan that crooked [R.V. marg. 'winding'] serpent," the word may probably denote the two empires, the Assyrian and the Babylonian." -- Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (Dictionary.Com = http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leviathan) Just so you know where I stand: I am a Christian, do believe God created all, do believe in the authority/authenticity/power of Scripture (but do not believe it is meant to be limited to use as a science textbook -- I also do not find man's evidence for either old or young Earth entirely convincing either way, but I do enjoy reading about various discoveries and theories. And here is a fascinating article (with its own opinion/slant stated up front) on being careful about trying to use Scripture as a science textbook (Creationists) -- or discounting any Scriptural statements from having any scientific validity (Evolutionists): "Motives and Assumptions in the Age-of-the-Earth Question" by John Clayton at: http://www.doesgodexist.org/JulAug04/MotivesAndAssumptionsInTheAgeOfTheEarthQuestion.html Hope something here is of interest and will spark some thought and discussion! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisawa Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 A friend recently told me that dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible. I had never heard that so when I was reading about the mention of dinosaurs in our MOH, I was very curious. MOH claims that there is evidence in the Bible that man could have co-existed with dinosaurs. They gave the examples of the Behemoth in Job 40:15that "could have been an Apatosaurus or a Brachiosaurus". I was duly impressed until I went to my Bible, looked the verse up and then read the footnotes claiming it was most likely a hippopotamus! MOH goes on to mention the Leviathan in Job 41:1-8 that "sounds a lot like a huge dinosaur." Again I check it out in my Bible and it claims a Leviathan may have been an alligator. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm really curious now. I am not a scientist... so... this is just a perspective post. *Ãœ* *Ãœ* The reference to the hippo in your foot notes are just that persons opinion. *Ãœ* Last I looked at a picture of a hippo... it didn’t have a tale to bend like a cedar..... we do know it was large, ate grass and was powerful. 15"Behold now, [a]Behemoth, which ®I made as well as you; He eats grass like an ox. 16"Behold now, his strength in his loins And his power in the muscles of his belly. 17"He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together. 18"His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are like bars of iron. I looked up the other verse you gave on bible gateway and the footnotes said it was an alligator... I’m thinking not... Last I looked at an alligator they don’t sneeze flashes of light! lol I’m thinking dragon... or something large and that can also go on land and water.... maybe they were both called something else.... but this animal was also powerful... and although I think an alligator is large and powerful.... the description if you read it in its entirety... is bigger, tougher and well... not the description of an alligator... and the verse says he looks on everything that is high... he is big.... and makes a wake in the water... 1"Can you draw out [a](A)Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord? 2"Can you (B)put a rope in his nose Or pierce his jaw with a hook? 7"Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? 8"Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle; you will not do it again! 9"Behold, your expectation is false; Will you be laid low even at the sight of him? 10"No one is so fierce that he dares to ©arouse him; Who then is he that can stand before Me? 12"I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Or his mighty strength, or his orderly frame. 13"Who can strip off his outer armor? Who can come within his double mail? 14"Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth there is terror. 15"His strong scales are his pride, Shut up as with a tight seal. 16"One is so near to another That no air can come between them. 17"They are joined one to another; They clasp each other and cannot be separated. 18"His sneezes flash forth light, And his eyes are like the (F)eyelids of the morning. 19"Out of his mouth go burning torches; Sparks of fire leap forth. 20"Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth As from a boiling pot and burning rushes. 21"His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes forth from his mouth. 22"In his neck lodges strength, And dismay leaps before him. 23"The folds of his flesh are joined together, Firm on him and immovable. 24"His heart is as hard as a stone, Even as hard as a lower millstone. 25"When he raises himself up, the mighty fear; Because of the crashing they are bewildered. 26"The sword that reaches him cannot avail, Nor the spear, the dart or the javelin. 27"He regards iron as straw, Bronze as rotten wood. 28"The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones are turned into stubble for him. 29"Clubs are regarded as stubble; He laughs at the rattling of the javelin. 30"His underparts are like sharp potsherds; He spreads out like a threshing sledge on the mire. 31"He makes the depths boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a jar of ointment. 32"Behind him he makes a wake to shine; One would think the deep to be gray-haired. 33"(G)Nothing on earth is like him, One made without fear. 34"He looks on everything that is high; He is king over all the (H)sons of pride." This is one reason I buy bibles w/o foot notes in them for my teens. The footnotes are opinions.... a commentary from a pastor or teacher you trust would be better. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanne in MN Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 I've certainly heard the theory of man co-existing with dinosaurs before. But until recently, I'd not heard that dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible. The dinosaurs in the Bible are what I'm questioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Having read the passage, I have no problem with these being classified as "dinosaurs", but I'm a young earth creationist. I'm also a literalist when it comes to Scripture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisawa Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I've certainly heard the theory of man co-existing with dinosaurs before. But until recently, I'd not heard that dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible. The dinosaurs in the Bible are what I'm questioning. Correct... that is why I pointed out the scripture you mentioned and the descriptions it gave. These are large animals... larger than a hippo or I think someone mentioned an alligator... oh ya know, i might have read that on the bible gateway.... but we call dinosaurs, dinosaurs.... back then these large beasts were in my perspective Leviathan and Behemoth *Ü* and would be what I consider today to be a dinosaur or even dragon... Im so sorry if my post just added to any uncertainty or didn’t help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 We saw a great video on this at the Creation Museum, dealing with dinosaurs and dragons. They did say that most Bible translations will ahve a footnote saying "hippo." I can't read the passage and see a hippo fitting the description, but then I am biased by a YE belief. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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