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Bible Question:
Why does Job 41:1 in the the New International Version (NIV)
Bible say that "Leviathan is "possibly the crocodile," and
then in other Bibles it is called a dragon?
Bible Answer:
There is a previous question
and answer
in which you may be interested which talks about this passage.
Here is the passage in four Bibles:
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Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press
down his tongue with a cord? (NASB)
Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook or tie
down his tongue with a rope? (NIV)
Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue
with a cord which thou lettest down? (KJV)
Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his
tongue with a line which you lower? (NKJV) Job 41:1
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Leviathan.
Each Bible uses the English word "Leviathan" for
this animal. None of the Bibles actually use the word dragon
or crocodile. The difference in wording is found in the footnotes
of one's Bible or in a commentary. It is important to remember
that the English Bible is a translation from the original Hebrew.
The problem is found in the original Hebrew because this word
is difficult to understand. As a result, some say the word
means "crocodile" and others think it might mean "dragon." Some
prefer "serpent" or "sea monster." How
do we know which one is correct?
Meaning.
The best way to know is to read the description
of this animal
which is given in Job 1:1-34. This is not the description of
a crocodile or a snake. It appears that a dragon or a sea monster
is being described. So the Bible translators transliterated
the original Hebrew word into English and as a result we have "LEVIATHAN." That
is, they took the sound of each Hebrew letter and replaced
it with an English letter. What we mean by this is that they
decided not to give us the meaning of the word and left the
meaning ambiguous.The description leads us to believe the animal
is a dragon. Is it possible that one existed? If we have never
seen one, does this mean it never existed?
Conclusion:
This animal is not a crocodile. Is it the Lock Ness monster?
The description suggests a serpent like creature living in
the water. The message of Job 41 is that we know very little
about God's creation and how it came into existence. God
uses this example as a reminder that we are but grasshoppers
compared to God.
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It is He who sits above the vault of the earth, and its
inhabitants are like grasshoppers . . . (NASB) Isa.
40:22
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Job had been complaining about God, and so God asked Job, "Why
do you talk so much when you know so little?" (Job 38:2).
Job knew the answer.
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