The bibles best description of a dinosaurlike animal is recorded in job chapter 40. This book is a great introduction to dinosaurs for toddlers and preschoolers. Apart from the fact that there is no overlap between dinosaurs and humans in the geological record, the idea that job was a historical figure roughly contemporary with abraham stems from the identification of job with jobab a king of edom and des. And btw, dinosaurs are mentioned in the book of job ch. English translation of the entire tanakh tanach with rashis commentary. Such a view will be rejected by the reverent bible student. The book of job describes this massive animalbut it is shrouded in mystery.
The nationality of job and his wife is not mentioned in the book of job and the rabbis disagree on this question see bt bava batra 15b. The book of job is not only the finest expression of the hebrew poetic genius. Presented by rabbi yitzchak schwartz, rosh hayeshiva dean of orchos chaim yeshiva in jerusalem the malbim, in. Children especially are captivated by the dinosaur theme as they behold artists perceptions of. If we take extinct animals into consideration, a herbivorous dinosaur seems a more likely candidate. In the story, job, a man of faith, is tested by god through various horrible afflictions.
Leviathan sea dwelling aquatic reptiles dinosaurs in the. Q ive been on the net studying dinosaurs in the bible and it appears that the kronosaurus leviathan is talked about in job 41, isiah 27. Behemoth, from the book of job, was a dinosaur talk. In the book of job the bible talks about some of these magnificent creatures. Jul 25, 20 dinosaurs encyclopedia prehistorica by robert sabuda and matthew reinhart this elegant popup book will delight readers of all ages. So you wont find the word dinosaur in the bible any more than you will find the word email or internet. The closest anyone got to seeing a dinosaur was seeing jurassic park, or fossils that when reconstructed a specific way can reflect what we call today a. The point god makes in job 41 is that leviathan is under gods sovereign control. If the book of job doesnt describe dinosaurs, what animals are being referred to. First, according to some youngearth believers, leviathan is one of the sea dinosaurs. There seems to be a reference to dinosaurs in the book of job. At the end of the book of job, god appears to job to at last put his many questions of faith to rest. While clearly one of the fiercest creatures that god made, it is difficult to establish exactly what leviathan was.
Job 41 portrays a singularly aweinspiring creature. The dinosaurs unimportance is part of the joy of learning about them, torah lishmah in its purest sense. Mcdonalds basic approach to behemoth was to compare some of the information about behemoth in the book of job against a few other creatures and dinosaurs. Accordingly, the lord, in a devastating examination of the patriarch, illustrated his own power and wisdom and, by contrast, jobs pathetic ignorance with a series of examples from nature job 3841.
Jan 03, 2017 is there a torah source for the existence of dinosaurs. Interpretations of this profoundly odd book are as many as the centuries of commentary it has undergone, but it is arguably one of the most beautifullywritten books of the bible even the most secular of literary scholars still. The book of job tells how one man suddenly awakened to the anarchy rampant in the world, yet his attachment to god outlived the ruin of his tidy system. However, the bible does indeed describe animals that resemble dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles such as plesiosaurs or flying reptiles. In the book of job, god tells job about the behemoth and the leviathan. He even examined the hebrew behind many of the words. First, according to some young earth creation science believers, leviathan is one of the sea dinosaurs.
Many scholars believe scripture writers used tanniyn to describe images of dinosaurs in the bible. However, the original hebrew is more descriptive of the seagoing dinosaurs we now see in numerous museums throughout the world. Far from a book that is just about suffering, job is filled with rich insight into both ancient and modern questions about the formation of the world the difference between animals and humans cosmology dinosaurs and the fossil record global warming and how to care for creation and more with careful consideration and exegesis, internationally. Theres no mention of them in the torah, only that the world was created in 6 days. Creationdinosaurs rastafari groundation lion of judah. From the physical descriptions of some of the great creatures of the bible, it is easy to see where dinosaurs fit in. Some could fly, some could swim and they even laid eggs just like dinosaurs. However if the book of job is real history, then this argument is invalid. It is found in the third section of the biblical canon known as the ketuvim writings.
Job s acquaintance with a dinosaur is not farfetched at all, given that the book of job is set in a very early time of history. Its incredibly complex and obscure hebrew allowing for multiple translations and meanings. Dear rabbi, a friend recently asked me how orthodox judaism deals with the issue of scientific proof of dinosaurs existence. The book of job a widely misunderstood book jeffrey.
Someone suggested that this is a reference to the dinosaurs. If behemoth was a dinosaur see earlier section, then a behemoth type must have been on the ark, because the lord used the behemoth as an illustration in teaching job. Not all animals are mentioned by name in the bible cats, tigers, elephants, etc, but if god created the dinosaurs on day six of the creation week, its possible that hey might be mentioned somewhere in the. It is almost universally conceded by bible scholars that the historical background for the book of job. This book is most appropriate for children ages 48. Youd think the existence of a former world of huge alien creatures would have some sort of mention in midrashim, etc. According to the book of genesis, animals and humans were created on the 6th day. The book of job, book of hebrew scripture that is often counted among the masterpieces of world literature. This presupposes a young earth form of creationism. Either all dinosaurs were extinct before the flood or their kinds were aboard the ark. Jun 28, 2015 perhaps the most striking example of this aversion to confronting dinosaurs is with rabbi moshe meiselmans torah, chazal and science. It may be an example of pluralis excellentiae, a hebrew method of. Bereishit genesis shemot exodus vayikra leviticus bamidbar numbers devarim deuteronomy.
The book of job, presumably written in the second millennium bc, details the events. Torah the pentateuch neviim prophets ketuvim scriptures. Ken ham, in his book the answers book, states that it may have been something like kronosaurus or liopleurodon page 243. Dinosaurs in the bible the bible begins with a statement that is so simple a child can understand it, yet so inexhaustibly profound. In fact the talmud bava bathra page 14b contains a long dispute if. Job is a pious believer who is struck by misfortune so great that it cannot be explained in the usual way as a prompting to repentance, a warning, let alone a punishment the arguments later. Job lived in the land of uz, which was in or near the land of edom. This handsome book doesnt only focus on dinosaurs, but also mammals, birds, plants and fish, ranging all the way from the proterozoic age to the rise of modern humans. While the main character is obviously iyov, it is not at all clear who this person was. In the book of job we see the word behemoth being used to describe the largest of the animals god made. Was behemoth an elephant, hippopotamus or dinosaur. When tested for dating radioactive decay, their bones appear to be millions of years old, a time period that does not exist according to a literal interpretation of the torah. By rabbi yitzchak schwartz this class offers an explanation of major themes within the book of job based mainly on the writings of the malbim rabbi meir leibush malbim. However, many people are unaware that the bible describes several types of dinosaurs.
This area extended both southwest and southeast of the dead sea, in an area that is. Everything beyond the fossils, including the notion that they once belonged to living creatures called dinosaurs, and in what era those creatures inhabited the earth, is a theory. These passages are found in the book of job and they refer to creatures known as the behemoth and the leviathan. They begin as poetic but realistic descriptions of actual animals, probably the hippopotamus and the crocodile, and they then move into mythological symbolism to make points that serve the larger themes of the book of job. The topic of dinosaurs in the bible is part of a larger ongoing debate within the christian community over the age of the earth, the proper interpretation of genesis, and how to interpret the physical evidences we find all around us. There has been controversy as to what behemoth really is. The institute for creation research calls leviathan a dragon, and equates it to other passages in isaiah and revelation. The book makes for a good gift, coffee table display, and conversation starter. The word dinosaur was introduced to the english dictionary in 1842 by richard owen. This article behemoth, from the book of job, was a dinosaur evow iki is a response to an evolutionary or anticreation assertion that was published on the evowiki website. Home ask a bible teacher dinosaurs in the book of job. Job, behemoth, and dinosaurs by wayne jackson the topic of dinosaurs fascinates virtually everyone. In the book of job, dinosaur like creatures are mentioned and so they appear to have existed at the same time that adam and eve and their descendants existed. However, this has nothing to do with the dinosaurs extreme size or their tendency to crush or eat anything in their way.
Behemoth and leviathan in the book of job 1 creation ministries. Children especially are captivated by the dinosaur theme as they behold artists perceptions of these magnificent creatures that roamed the earth centuries ago, as such are portrayed in books, on television, and in the movies. Arabic languagearabic bahimuth, or bahamut, pronengbhim, is a biblical creature mentioned in the book of job, 40. The book of job begins with a prologue job 12, which describes a wager between satan and god, in which satan the adversary bets god that joba particularly pious. Suggested identities range from a mythological creature to an elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, or buffalo. Listen to rashi, gigantic dragonlike predators arent compatible with the world of man. One of the amoraim expressed his opinion in the presence of samuel b. Owing to the importance of the book of job, the talmudists occupied themselves frequently with its chief character. The work is grouped with proverbs and ecclesiastes as a product of the wisdom movement, even though it contains what might be called an antiwisdom strain in that the hero protests.
Not all animals are mentioned by name in the bible cats, tigers, elephants, etc, but if god created the dinosaurs on day six of the creation week, its possible that hey might be mentioned somewhere in the bible and i believe this. Where did the biblical story of creation come from. Although pgrated, the book caters more toward and adult audience. An explanation of major themes within the book of job based mainly on the writings of the malbim rabbi meir leibush malbim with important additions from the ramban nachmanides and the biur hagra commentary of the vilna gaon. In order to set the record straight, lets examine this passage of scripture, and see what the possibilities are. This hebrew bible was edited by esteemed translator and scholar, rabbi a. Now if we believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of the bible we must. The book of job rabbi yitzchak breitowitz duration. In essence, job is an essay on the problem of evil. It is the most dramatic and important opening of any chapter of any book. If this book were placed in its true chronological order in the bible, it would reside within the book of genesis since job. Some interpreters have taken these to be dinosaurs.
It includes important additions from the ramban nachmanides and the biur hagra commentary of the vilna gaon. In the beginning god created the heaven and the earth. The bible mentions two dinosaurs by name and describes them in great detail. The book of job, written a few centuries after the flood, leads us to believe that large dinosaurs were still alive in the lush river valleys of the middle east. Are dinosaurs mentioned in the bible, like in the book of job. In contrast to the view that they both were jews, another position maintains that job was a gentile. Many creationists believe that behemoth, according to its description in the book of job, is a dinosaur. Many christians with a creationist viewpoint believe that the book of job is one of the earliest books of the bible ever written for the apparent account of unknown large animals that are possibly dinosaurs like we see in the fossil record. Creation science and biblical interpretation, job 4041. The book of job, on the face of it, represents an internal criticism within the hebrew bible itself of biblical theology according to which god is conceived not only as the creator of the.
Due to his great suffering, job criticized the working of jehovah in his life. Some theories work in line with torah, some of them dont. The book of job, possibly written a few centuries after the flood, uses the ancient name behemoth bihheemoth, whose original meaning has been lost. The book of job in hebrew iyov is the story of an exceedingly righteous man who is afflicted with horrific suffering for no apparent reason.
Behemoth, from the book of job, was a dinosaur evowiki. Although the term leviathan means whale in modern hebrew, and can refer to almost any large aquatic creature or sea monster in common parlance, many yecs maintain that the leviathan of job 3 and 41 and psalm 74. For the sake of clarity let us distinguish between fossils and dinosaurs. What does the bible, torah and quran say about dinosaurs. The book includes key facts about each dinosaur, and along the way several theories about why the dinosaurs became extinct are shared. The complex and delicate nature of the subject matter. Aug 01, 2015 this book is full of misleading and often demonstrably false claims used to promote the authors youngearth creationist yec views. Oct 09, 2018 in his second speech to job at the end of the book of job, the lord mentions two powerful and fearsome creatures, behemoth and leviathan.
Hebrew bible judaism, torah and jewish info chabad lubavitch. The leviathan of the book of job is a reflection of the older canaanite lotan, a primeval monster defeated by the god baal hadad. Dinosaurs are called dinosaurs, terrible lizards, for a reasonnot because they did a terrible job of lizardingbecause they terrorize us, and can strike terr into the hearts of man, even in crumbly fossil form. The book of job is quite possibly the strangest book in the hebrew bible, and is notoriously difficult to date. So they are actually claiming that the book of job is just folklore. Were certain dinosaurs alive during the time of job, who. Is there a torah source for the existence of dinosaurs. The book includes a series of creative vignettes depicting the ennui of dinosaurs who have menial jobs. Job is a book that ranks as one of the most difficult books in thetanach bible, for two reasons. Artscroll, quoting from feliks, the animal world of the bible. This article can be freely copied and distributed, as long as it is unaltered and.
The book s theme is the eternal problem of unmerited suffering, and it is named after its central. Indeed, it is precisely the jurassic eras utter lack of relevance that makes it so interesting to students. Despite the book being over eight hundred pages long, it does not once discuss dinosaurs. In other words, the descriptions of behemoth and leviathan are not of dinosaurs. His penis stiffens like a pine his testicles bulge with vigor. Ancient jewish sources say the only tradition which has come down to us with respect to the authorship of the book of job ascribes it to moses. Given that this is an historical account the best interpretation of these verses is that behemoth was a sauropod dinosaur.
In regards to the possibility that the term stones refers to testicles, michel notes that the vulgate uses the word testiculorum. So i can believe in the torah and believe that there were dinosaurs. Stump the rabbi rabbi yossi paltiel is there a torah source for the existence of dinosaurs. Lessons offered here are intended for anyone who wants to get seriously involved in the study of the tanach. For a full explanation of this, see dinosaurs, the bible, and a. Paleontologists assert that dinosaurs lived hundreds of millions of years ago, while the jewish calendar sets the age of the universe at under 6000 years plus six creation days. However, heres what i say about them in my study guide to job. For many years young earth creation science believers have pointed to the book of job, chapters 4041, as evidence that dinosaurs lived recently. From wandering 3d sauropods to a trex poised to spring right out of the pages, the meticulous craftsmanship of this encyclopedia is sure to captivate dinophiles of every feather. Are dinosaurs described in the bible, in the book of job. The bible describes a sharptoothed, scaled creature whose habitat is the mire and deep waters. Apr 22, 2014 stephen brusatte is a paleontologist at the university of edinburgh, school of geosciences.
Look at the behemoth, which i made along with you and which feeds on. The following question is one of many ask the rabbi has received regarding the torah s attitude toward the existence of dinosaurs. The book of job is a canonical work in both christian and jewish liturgy. Even more dramatic is the book of job, where the author describes the great land creature, behemoth job 40, and the great water creature, leviathan job 41. Does the bible have anything specifically to say about dinosaurs. The latter are not classified as dinosaurs, but are equally devastating to oldearth views. He provided expert advice on walking with dinosaurs 3d, which is out now on dvd. Commentary, new translation, and special studies, new york 1978, 447, invoking. Creation science and biblical interpretation, job 4041, dinosaurs.