LEVIATHAN: Between Legend and Literal
There are many things in the Bible that remain mysterious to believers — the forbidden fruit, the Nephilim, fallen angels, Balaam’s talking donkey, Goliath, and many more! One of the things that caught my curiosity when I first started reading the Bible was Leviathan , the sea monster (Job 3:8; 41:1–34; Ps. 74:14; 104:26; etc.). What exactly is it? Is it just a legend, or was it once a literal creature? How was this monster understood in ancient times, and how should we understand it today? Let’s dive in and catch a sea monster! 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 Leviathan (Hebrew: Liwyatan ) is the name used in the Bible to refer to a mythical creature often associated with the sea and chaos. The origin of its name may come from a root meaning “the twisting one” (Arabic lawiya ) or possibly “coiled” (Hebrew liwya ). Leviathan was closely identified with Tannin , a term usually translated as “sea dragon” or “serpent.” Isaiah 27:1 reads, “Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Le...