Dinosaurs in the Bible, Leviathan

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Let’s take a look at another dinosaur in the Bible called Leviathan located in Job 41. There are 34 verses dealing with Leviathan in this chapter. I will point out a few of them.

God is describing great creatures that He has created to Job. After the Behemoth, God introduces Leviathan. He opens this description with verse 1 and2. "Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put a hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn?" God is asking Job if he can do any of these things to Leviathan. Of course, the answer is no. Also note in verse 26-30. "The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire." God says that a sword cannot hold if striking at the creature. The Leviathan sees iron as no more than straw and brass as weak as rotten wood. Arrows, slingshots, darts, and spears do not harm him. Possibly, they cannot pierce him. Neither can this creature be harpooned as in verse 7 "Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears?"

This is a violent creature. Job, verse 5, "Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?" and verse 8, "Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more."

While talking about the creature's fierceness and power, God makes an interesting comparison that I would like to point out. God compares His own power with that of Leviathan. Verse 10, "None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?” I personally would hesitate to say the Leviathan is a crocodile or an alligator. A man can tame them with his bare hands.

Note verses 15-17, "His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered." Leviathan has scales on his skin.

Here is another trait that the Leviathan has that crocodiles or alligators do not have. This is described in verses 18-21, "By his sneezes a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth." The Leviathan breathes fire. This is scientifically possible due to studies (by Jobe Martin) on various insects that combined two stored chemicals that ignite when mixed.

The habitation of this creature is the sea. Again, verse 1 from above, and verses 31 and 32, "He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary."

God classifies the Leviathan as unlike any other upon the earth and he is king. Verses 33 and 34, "Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride."