Sunday School: Dinosaurs & Dragons
Notes
40:15 Some have identified Behemoth as a type of mythological beast, such as the bull of heaven in the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh or the ferocious bullock, the Ugaritic goddess that Anat defeated. Allusions to mythological creatures had been made previously (3:8; 7:12; 9:13–14; 26:12–13), but the description here favors a living animal known to Job. The buffalo, a dinosaur, the rhinoceros, and (most often) the hippopotamus have been suggested. The term behemoth occurs elsewhere only in Ps 73:22 where the psalmist compared his formerly embittered soul to a brute beast.
40:15–24 Behemoth. While this is a generic term used commonly in the OT for large cattle or land animals, the description in this passage suggests an extraordinary creature. The hippopotamus has been suggested by the details in the passage (vv. 19–24). However, the short tail of a hippo is hardly consistent with v. 17, where tail could be translated “trunk.” It could refer to an elephant, who could be considered “first” or chief of God’s creatures whom only He can control (v. 19). Some believe God is describing His most impressive creation of land animals, the dinosaur species, which fit all the characteristics.
40:23 God was not saying this creature lived in the Jordan River, but rather, recognizing that the Jordan was familiar to Job, used it to illustrate how much water this beast could ingest. He could swallow the Jordan! It was a word used to refer to something of enormous size and threatening power.
41:1 Leviathan. This term appears in 4 other OT texts (Job 3:8; Pss 74:14; 104:26; Is 27:1). In each case Leviathan refers to some mighty creature who can overwhelm man but who is no match for God. Since this creature lives in the sea among ships (Ps 104:26), some form of sea monster, possibly an ancient dinosaur, is in view. Some feel it was a crocodile, which had scaly hide (v. 15), terrible teeth (v. 14) and speed in the water (v. 32). But crocodiles are not sea creatures, and clearly this one was (v. 31). Some have thought it was a killer whale or a great white shark, because he is the ultimate killer beast over all other proud beasts (v. 34). It could also have been some sea-going dinosaur.
41:1 Leviathan. The animal described in this section may be the crocodile (see ESV footnote). Interpreters sometimes suggest it is a mythical creature representing forces overcome by God’s power in creation (see 3:8 and note). However, the focus of this section is on the fact that, whatever powerful creature is being referred to, it is a part of God’s creation and is governed by his power (see note on Ps. 74:14).