Dinosaurs and Dragons in the Bible?

Continuing a Bible study of Job:

(Job 40:1) Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, (2) "Shall he who contends with the Almighty instruct Him? He who reproves God, let him answer it."

God gives Job an opportunity to answer Him.

(3) Then Job answered the LORD, and said, (4) "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I will lay my hand on my mouth. (5) Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice, but I will proceed no further."

Job had argued boldly with his friends, and had supposed he would argue his case as boldly with God if given the chance, but when actually given the chance, he sees himself as guilty in the sight of God and will no longer attempt to justify himself.

(6) Then answered the LORD to Job out of the whirlwind, and said, (7) "Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you will answer Me."

Once again the Lord tells Job to prepare himself "like a man", and be prepared to answer Him.  Some scholars suggest that this is an accidental duplication of the verses in Job 38:1-3, but since it is not exactly the same, I think that takes too much speculation, and I'll just go with it as it is.

(8) "Will you also annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be righteous? (9) Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like Him? (10) Deck yourself now with majesty and excellency, and array yourself with glory and beauty."

John Wesley points out that every word in verse 8 is emphatical; the quotes are his.  Will (are you purposed upon it) you (you, Job, "whom I took to be one of a better mind") also (not only vindicate yourself, but also accuse Me) annul ("not only question, but even repeal and make void, as if it were unjust") my judgment?  Will Job condemn God so that he may be righteous?  So does Job have power like God, or a voice like God's?  The verse may refer to the actual thunder that is an expression of God's power, or as an illustration of an all-powerful creative voice that commands things out of nothing to action.  Either way, can Job do it?  If so, then come on and show himself as God.

(11) "Cast abroad the rage of your wrath; and behold everyone who is proud, and humble him. (12) Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. (13) Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. (14) Then will I also confess to you that your own right hand can save you."

If Job can show himself as God, then let him show his indignation on the world and humble the proud as only God can.  Taking down the wicked and bringing them to dust again sounds like killing them.  Binding their faces in secret may refer to the covering of the faces of the dead or those about to be executed.  If Job is able to perform these God-like actions, then God will admit that Job is as God and able to save himself.  As Albert Barnes put it, "If you can do all this, it will be full proof that you can save yourself, and that you do not need the divine interposition. If he could do all this, then it might be admitted that he was qualified to pronounce a judgment on the divine counsels and dealings. He would then show that he had qualifications for conducting the affairs of the universe."

(15) "Behold now behemoth, which I made with you; he eats grass like an ox."

The original word actually is "behemoth" and has not been translated, as the meaning is not clear.  Perhaps it was an animal that is now extinct.  Some scholars have speculated that it could even be a dinosaur.  We know that God created it "with (man)", and so far from the text we know that it was a grass-eater.  The only animals in our time that might come close to the description that follows are elephants or, more probably, hippopotamuses.  Whatever it was, it was a huge powerful beast.

(16) "Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly."

From this description, scholars have pointed out that "behemoth" seems more like a hippo than an elephant, as elephants are very tender in their belly region.

(17) "He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his stones are wrapped together."

Wow!  More speculation than you might realize has been made about this one small verse.  Once again, the hippo's tail might fit this description better than the elephant's as it is short and thick and stronger.  But is a short tail like that of a cedar?  I am imagining the tail of a dinosaur as a true cedar-like tail.  Some have speculated that the tail is not what is being described here, but the penis, and indeed, the rest of the verse complements that idea.  "Stones" indeed means "testicles" here.  Some scholars point out that the ancients used to call the penis the tail.  I have read that the elephant's is small in proportion to the size of its body; and not in sight, and therefore can hardly be thought to be described in the verse.  I am not sure about the hippo, but perhaps either animal's would be considered large and rigid and tree-like to any other species of animal.  Another speculation is that it might be the elephant's trunk that is referenced here, but why talk about the "stones" in the same sentence?  Of course, it could be a now extinct animal that is referenced.

(18) "His bones are as strong pieces of brass, his bones are like bars of iron. (19) He is the chief of the ways of God; He who made him can make His sword to approach him."

God is speaking about a very strong animal.  Once again I have read that the elephant may not live up to this description as his bones are porous, light, and spongy.  However, it could be his tusks that are referenced.  The hippo may have stronger bones.  The animal described is chief among the creations of God, probably because of his size and strength.  The second part of verse 19 sounds like only God can kill this animal.  Obviously, an elephant or a hippo could be killed by man, even if they are very large and strong.  So either a larger more formidable creature is meant, or perhaps the meaning of that part of the scripture is to be understood a little differently.  The KJV translators added the last word, "him"; actually it was "unto him" in the KJV text as written.  So we really just have "He who made him can make his sword to approach", so perhaps this refers to the sword-like feature that God created in the animal itself.  An elephant tusk might appear as a sword before the animal, or even more sword-like might be the huge teeth of the hippo.  How about the rhinoceros?  Now that looks like a sword!

(20) "Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. (21) He lies under the shady trees, in the cover of the reed and fens. (22) The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook surround him. (23) Behold, he drinks up a river, and does not hasten; he trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. (24) He takes it with his eyes; his nose pierces through snares."

This description surely sounds more like the hippo than the elephant as the animal is found close to the water.  The picture of a hippo walking into a river with the greatest of ease and unconcern, opening his huge mouth and drinking in huge amounts of water, even going under and holding his breath for long periods of time, seems to fit very well.  I believe the meaning of verse 24 is that the animal sees the water, wants it, and saunters in, letting nothing stand in his way, his nose piercing through any snags or traps.  Now that sounds like the "nose" of an elephant or maybe a rhino.

It's no wonder there is so much speculation and disagreement on just what behemoth is!  I think I may agree with those who think it was an animal now extinct, probably the mastodon or the mammoth.

(Job 41:1) "Can you draw out leviathan with a hook, or his tongue with a cord which you let down?"

Chapter 41 begins with God talking about another of His impressive creations, another beast hard to identify with certainty.  Adam Clarke writes, "We come now to a subject...on which learned men are less agreed than on the preceding (behemoth). What is leviathan?"  Leviathan is mentioned in the Bible in a few places.  Strong's points out it is from the root word, "lavah", which means "to twine", so the assumption has always been that it is a type of coiling serpent.  Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs define "leviathan" as "a wreathed animal, that is, a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large sea monster); figuratively the constellation of the dragon; also as a symbol of Babylon: - leviathan, mourning" (Strong's), and "leviathan, sea monster, dragon, large aquatic animal, perhaps the extinct dinosaur, plesiosaurus, exact meaning unknown" (BDB). Whatever this animal is, it is apparent it is large and impressive and not likely to be caught on a fishing line by man.

(2) "Can you put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? (3) Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak soft words to you? (4) Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him for a servant forever? (5) Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you bind him for your maidens?"

Putting a hook in his nose or boring a hole into his jaw might have to do with putting him on a stringer like smaller fish.  Some scholars in the older commentaries believe that leviathan was a crocodile, as it is very strong with a huge fierce mouth and teeth, and is a fast swimmer and has "a coat of mail (that) cannot be pierced".  However, Albert Barnes points out that that the crocodile was led about by the Egyptians as a divinity.  The object of the passage above is to impress upon Job the strength and untameableness of the beast, so a crocodile doesn't fit well if it could be led around on a leash.  The leviathan cannot be tamed and kept as a pet for amusement.

(6) "Will the companions make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?"

The word that is translated as "banquet" is more often used as a form of the word "dig".  I believe the sense is that Job and his companions would not be able to open up the leviathan and divide it up.  The KJV translators thought of digging into the leviathan as having a banquet of him.  The leviathan cannot be parceled out for sale.

(7) "Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears? (8) Lay your hand on him; remember the battle, do it no more. (9) Behold, the hope of him is in vain; will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?"

This creature's skin is thick and impenetrable, and it puts up a fight one will not soon forget.  The hope of conquering this creature is in vain, and his appearance is so formidable, that courage may wane in the presence of him.  Although a crocodile might fit this description as he has tough skin and is certainly a fighter, the fact that it is known that crocodiles were occasionally led around, makes me believe this has to be a larger and more ferocious creature, possibly a creature now extinct.  Could it be a dinosaur of some sort?  After all, God created all creatures, and there is conclusive evidence that dinosaurs were indeed on the earth, so God created them.  Our biggest question is when they inhabited the earth and were they here when man was here?  If you believe the creation description from Genesis is a literal six days, then it stands to reason that dinosaurs were created at the same time.  Scientists believe that dinosaurs were here hundreds of thousands of years before man, but they also believe stars were here then, too, and the Bible is clear about when God created the sun and moon and stars.  God is outside of time, and He is perfectly capable of creating something that appears to have been here a longer time than it has.  Man has his rules and measures, but God doesn't have to adhere to those rules.  People are always trying to put God into their little human box to "perfectly" explain Him, but it just doesn't work that way.

I suppose one other explanation for when dinosaurs inhabited the earth might be during a time when the earth was "void", perhaps before other creations, as described in Genesis 1:2.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

I don't really see how dinosaurs could have been here if there was no form to the earth, but then again, God is outside of time and space or any of those pesky things that confine us!

(10) "None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me? (11) Who has prevented Me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine."

Verse 10, paraphrased, "If one of My creatures is so formidable that man dare not attack it, how then can he contend with the creature's Creator?"  In verse 11, the word translated as "prevented" means "to project oneself" or "to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before", and the word translated as "repay" is "shalam", which is more often thought of as "peace"; the meaning here is "to make peace with" or "to make whole or good, restore, make compensation".  Again paraphrased, "Who has come before Me with whom I am obligated to make amends?"

(12) "I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion."

Back to the leviathan, God begins a more detailed description of the creature.  The word transcribed as "comely" is "beauty" or "beauty and grace".  A crocodile certainly would never be accused of possessing beauty and grace.  However, the complete phrase is "comely proportion".  The word translated as "proportion" is most often translated something along the line of "estimation" or "value".  However, it can also mean "things that are set in order, layer, pile, order, row", which might be descriptive of its skin.   

(13) "Who can discover the face of his garment? Who can come to him with his double bridle? (14) Who can open the doors of his face; his teeth are terrible all around?"

This creature evidently has a tough outer covering, even on his head.  The "doors of his face" probably refers to his mouth.  Who dare open it, with his terrible teeth all around?  "His double bridle" might refer to the creature's double row of terrible teeth, rather than an actual bridle brought by a man trying to rein it.  The word can also mean "jaw".

(15) "His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal; (16) One is so near to another that no air can come between them. (17) They are joined one to another, they stick together that they cannot be separated."

The scales of this creature are strong and tight and impenetrable, leading many Biblical scholars to think the crocodile is what is meant here.  We shall see.  ;-)

(18) "By his sneezings a light does shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. (19) Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. (20) Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or cauldron. (21) His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth."

Wow!  That doesn't sound like any crocodile this Louisiana girl has ever seen!  Sounds like a fire-breathing dragon to me!  Some of the scholars go to great lengths to explain why this is descriptive of the crocodile, but I just don't buy it.  God is describing His most powerful and formidable creations, and we've already learned that the crocodile was subdued and led around on a leash.  I really believe this creature is something more impressive than a crocodile - a sea serpent or dragon, or some other such creature, now extinct.  By the way, Animal Planet gives this explanation for how dragons could breathe fire:  "A dragon chews on platinum with its grinding teeth. When combined with hydrogen, it combusts, producing fire."

(22) "In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him."

The strength of this creature is in its neck, and nothing is painful or difficult for it.

(23) "The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. (24) His heart is as firm as a stone; yes, as hard as a piece of the millstone. (25) When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; because of breakings they purify themselves."

The creature raises itself up and frightens the mighty; again the image of a crocodile doesn't fit to me.  Breaking, crashing, destruction - the terror of this creature makes men purge themselves by vomiting, urinating, or defecating, or because they so fear for their lives, they acknowledge their sins and beg for forgiveness from their Lord and Savior.

(26) "The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold; the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon."

The sword of the man who is able to get at this creature is either broken or cannot pierce it or stick in it.  A habergeon is a short, sleeveless coat of mail, and doesn't seem to apply here, and some scholars believe the "javelin" is meant.  Dr. John Gill writes that in the Arabic language a javelin or hand dart is expressed by the same word.  I will have to take his word for it.

(27) "He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. (28) The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned into stubble with him. (29) Darts are counted as stubble; he laughs at the shaking of a spear. (30) Sharp stones are under him; he spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire."

The creature is so strong that iron and metal seem as straw and broken wood to it.  It is not afraid of arrows or spears, and darts and stones are like stubble or straw.  I think the sense of verse 30 is that the creature does not regard sharp stones as anything; he makes a bed of them.

(31) "He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. (32) He makes a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary."

This is obviously a large sea creature that can make the water churn; it makes such a trail of foamy waters behind it that one would think the sea was filled with white hair.

(33) "On earth there is nothing like him, who is made without fear. (34) He beholds all high things; he is a king over all the children of pride."

There is not another creature on earth like this leviathan, and it is without fear.  All the other of the greatest creatures are inferior to this one; it is chief among the boldest and proudest of animals, and people, for that matter.

God has described to Job two awesome and powerful creatures that were untouchable by man, and yet He was the Creator of them both, in order to give Job a jolt of reality as to the infinite power and sovereignty of his Lord.