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What is a Leviathan?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

The leviathan is a huge and fierce water monster, mentioned in several books of the Bible. Mention occurs in the books of Job, Psalms, and Isaiah, and there are several traditional Jewish prayers that also include the leviathan. Christian evaluation of the creature tends to associate the leviathan with the devil or demons, where the Old Testament view often looks at the creature as a natural creature.

Although in pictures, the leviathan is often depicted as a large water dragon, sometimes with multiple heads, many feel strongly that the word was alternate for crocodile, a creature that would have proliferated along the Nile. On the other hand, Job describes the beast as capable of breathing fire, which suggest more dragonlike characteristics. There may be some connection of the creature to Canaanite beliefs, or Ugaritic myths. A creature called Lotan dwells in the water and resembles a seven-headed dragon. In Ugaritic mythology, Baal Hadad fights with and destroys Lotan.

The Hebrew word "leviathan" may be translated as "whale".
The Hebrew word "leviathan" may be translated as "whale".

Leviathan is often intimately connected to the idea of chaos and destruction. In Ugaritic mythology, Lotan summons floods and tidal waves. The biblical equivalent is sometimes viewed as the opposite of creation, and is chaotic and destructive in nature. Early Christian writings take this one step further, especially the writing of Thomas Aquinas who associates the creature with envy and also calls it a demon. In constructing the punishments of hell, leviathan is called to punish the sinners who committed the deadly sin of envy and died without confession and absolution.

The book of Job mentions the leviathan.
The book of Job mentions the leviathan.

From a purely natural world standpoint, connecting the sea monster to the crocodile makes a lot of sense. It could certainly instantly cause death and was a thing to be greatly feared. When the creature is thought of as a simple beast, which it is in at least one Jewish prayer, and in one Midrash, a retelling — often highly metaphorical — of different instances in the Bible, the beast is God’s creation but so fearsome that God destroys the female so that the creature cannot mate.

Some believe that the leviathan was a crocodile.
Some believe that the leviathan was a crocodile.

On the other hand, a prayer mentions: “the sukkah of the skin of Leviathan,” and is said during the celebration of Sukkot or Festival of Booths. A sukkah is a temporary structure, like a tent, that Jews who celebrate Sukkot may choose to live in during the Festival. Part of the Sukkah must be made of natural materials, and crocodile skin might have been used in the past.

There are several traditional Jewish prayers that include the leviathan.
There are several traditional Jewish prayers that include the leviathan.

In Modern Hebrew, leviathan can be translated as whale, so there is also some context for considering a large sea mammal as this creature. This concept though, in most fantasy tellings is mainly lost in preference of depicting the animal as a water dragon, sometimes capable of flight. In the Final Fantasy series of video games, characters can summon this creature, which looks like a large blue dragon that rains watery destruction on monsters.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent LanguageHumanities contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent LanguageHumanities contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon132609

I agree. Just because things sound impossible or we don't quite understand all of the Bible, does not mean it is not literal.

I say: "I believe God's words even though they seem improbable." He's God and he can do whatever he wants. He made the universe and all unknown laws of it. Even if he decides to alter or step outside those laws, he is still acting as God and we should know who we are in comparison when we suggest God's word is not 'accurate' or 'literal.'

Who are we? Do we have infinite knowledge? Can I say there is no____ in the entire known universe, for anything? Doubt it.

anon83046

You're an idiot if you take the Bible as God's literal advice, it's like Chinese Whispers, it's been so watered down you'd never find the original.

It's best to just follow Jesus' wish for a better world instead of fussing over who said what to who.

However, in the context of a giant fire breathing monster I'll let it slide into literalism.

While the idea of the way Crocodiles wait and then pull you down under the water fits the image of being dragged to hell, we know there's more than one of them.

I think it sounds more like the original Godzilla: a giant sea god that breathes nuclear death fire

anon78452

I feel the levi-whatever was not a whale or a crocodile, for the lord, not job, speaks of how it breathes fire and smoke comes from its nostrils. also many other water dragon like things are referred to in the bible and the bible has no lies.

anon42758

Too many do not take God's word literally for what it is. God through his Holy Spirit will and does not intend to confuse, or lead astray anyone who comes to him through his word. Those words are his words. Through his spirit he spoke to us all through his spirit filled disciples.

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    • The Hebrew word "leviathan" may be translated as "whale".
      By: apfelweile
      The Hebrew word "leviathan" may be translated as "whale".
    • The book of Job mentions the leviathan.
      By: Stephen Orsillo
      The book of Job mentions the leviathan.
    • Some believe that the leviathan was a crocodile.
      By: gijssmulders
      Some believe that the leviathan was a crocodile.
    • There are several traditional Jewish prayers that include the leviathan.
      By: olegusk
      There are several traditional Jewish prayers that include the leviathan.