The second instance where the bible might refer to dinosaurs occurs first in the book of job. Summary does the bible specifically mention dinosaurs. Job is considered to be the oldest book of the bible. Discussion of references to dinosaurs found in the bible. 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. The bible does not say anything about dinosaurs because the word dinosaur was not coined until 1841 by sir richard owen. I know the book of enoch is not considered divinely inspired but i do think the apocrypha could have some historical significance. In job 40, the lord is infallibly describing a real historical creature, called behemoth. It is almost universally conceded by bible scholars that the historical background for the book. If god created everything in six days, with land animals and humans both coming into existence on the sixth day genesis 1. Why are dinosaurs not mentioned in the bible answers. In the book of job the bible talks about some of these magnificent creatures. From the physical descriptions of some of the great creatures of the bible, it is easy to see where dinosaurs fit in. You might expect that the bible would mention the most impressive landdwelling.
Dinosaurs were created by god, possibly even taken onto the ark, but died thereafter. There are no direct references in the bible to dinosaurs, at least not by that name, but some words could possibly have included them as will be illustrated from some quotes below. The bible mentions two dinosaurs by name and describes them in great detail. The book of job is one of the oldest books ever written. 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. The most common word used across many cultures were dragons. If the book of job doesnt describe dinosaurs, what animals are being referred to. D inosaurlike creatures are mentioned in the bible.
There are many running theories about whether dinosaurs are in the bible. Hence one cannot expect the bible to utilize the term prior to its origination. Are dinosaurs mentioned in the bible, like in the book of job. Dinosaurs are merely made up to support the theory of evolution. Are dinosaurs described in the bible, in the book of job. If the bible does in fact make reference to dinosaurs, they would have gone under a different name. Does the bible have anything specifically to say about dinosaurs. Creation science and biblical interpretation, job 4041. Apr 30, 2018 the bible does not say anything about dinosaurs because the word dinosaur was not coined until 1841 by sir richard owen. Those who believe in an older age for the earth tend to agree. To assume dinosaurs and humans never lived together because the. Not only does the bible use the word dragon repeatedly, 21 times in the old testament and 12 times in the book of revelations, the book of job describes creatures called behemoth and leviathan, which seem to indicate large, reptilian beasts, like dinosaurs. These passages are found in the book of job and they refer to creatures known as the behemoth and the leviathan.
There are many animals the bible never specifically mentions, including cats, kangaroos, elephants, aardvarks, anteaters, platypuses, and penguins. Job is not on the amazing bible timeline with world history. There are mentions in the scripture of serpents and dragons, which some have explained as possibly implying dinosaurs. A question people often ask is does the bible mention dinosaurs. Job chapter 41 is obviously talking about a fire breathing dragon. The word dinosaurs was never heard of until the 19th century. Tanniyn is mention as a dragon but can also be translated as serpent, sea monster, dinosaur, great creature. You might expect that the bible would mention the most impressive landdwelling beasts of gods creation, since he created them. Yet, scripture does use the hebrew word tanniyn to describe a mysterious creature resembling a giant reptile.
In order to set the record straight, lets examine this passage of scripture, and see what the possibilities are. It may surprise you that there has been much speculation into whether there were actually dinosaurs in the bible. Therefore the exact identity of these creatures is unknown. However, it does state that all things were created because of gods will, so god clearly had a purpose for making dinosaurs. Most agree that dinosaurs lived and died out long before man. The words that we see are behemoth, dragon, leviathan, and serpent, which can be a number of dinosaurs. The ancient word for what we call dinosaurs was dragons and there are some passages in the bible which speak of dragons or flying serpentsreptiles and other creatures which sound like what we call dinosaurs. Jan 30, 2019 many scholars believe scripture writers used tanniyn to describe images of dinosaurs in the bible. Some interpreters have taken these to be dinosaurs. The bible does not comment on the disappearance of the dinosaurs. Number one, the bible says that there was an animal called leviathan that could breathe out fire. The english translation dinosaur wasnt invented until 1900s or so, so other words were used for various dinosaurs. The bible uses ancient names like behemoth and tannin. Although these animals mentioned in the book of job cannot be identified with certainty, behemoth is generally identified as the hippopotamus and leviathan as the crocodile.
Children especially are captivated by the dinosaur theme as they behold artists perceptions of these magnificent creatures that roamed the earth centuries ago, as. The groups of creatures listed in genesis 1 may include dinosaurs. You wont find the word dinosaur in the bible because no one used that word until the 1840slong after the bible was completed. 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. The leviathan 4 is described as being an armored aquatic creature in the book of job, the psalms, and isaiah. You wont find tyrannosaurus rex or the term dinosaur anywhere in the bible. If people described these amazing creatures before that time, they wouldnt have called them by the name we use today. It is almost universally conceded by bible scholars that the historical background for the book of job is in the postflood period of the patriarchal era. Some people think these could be describing dinosaurs. To say that these animals do not cohabit the earth with man because the bible does not mention them, would, of course, be false. This being appears 28 times in the old testament, with english translations referring to it most often as a dragon, but also as a seamonster, serpent, and whale. Suggested identities range from a mythological creature to an elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, or buffalo. Read through our collection of bible verses that could be interpreted as referencing dinosaurs and decide for yourself.
Calling the behemoth and the leviathan dinosaurs wrongly dates jobs lifetime within only a few hundred years of the flood roy zuck, ibid. Job is not on the timeline because biblical scholars cannot agree on when he might have lived, and the bible does not give enough direct clues to place him accurately here are three suggested times job might have lived by the reasoning of biblical scholars. Dinosaurs in the bible ancient creatures in scripture. 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. Dinosaurs were animals that had become corrupted, werent taken into the ark, and died in the flood. Apr 27, 20 the book of job is one of the oldest books ever written.
Enoch, angels, and dinosaurs grace thru faith the bible. There are a couple of passages in scripture that may give a specific reference to dinosaurs. 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. Some could fly, some could swim and they even laid eggs just like dinosaurs. 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. Calling the behemoth and the leviathan dinosaurs wrongly dates job s lifetime within only a few hundred years of the flood roy zuck, ibid. Job 41 and other passages in the bible mentioning leviathan also do not clearly refer to any dinosaur, and could as well refer to a crocodile or an allegorical beast. 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. Although the latest bible translations use the words elephant, hippo or crocodile instead of behemoth and leviathan, the original hebrew and the context of the descriptions do not allow. There are no direct references in the bible to dinosaurs, at least not by that name, but some words could possibly have included them as. Some christians argue dinosaurs could not have existed because god would not create such creatures that could wreak havoc upon human.
This simply is further proof that the bible is inspired by god, for no man at that time knew about a previous age. Many scholars believe scripture writers used tanniyn to describe images of dinosaurs in the bible. However in the bible you can read about creatures which fit that description in some passages such as in job chapter 40 verse 15. Oct 24, 2012 a question people often ask is does the bible mention dinosaurs. In the book of job, god describes the behemoth that eats grass like an ox and moves his tail like a cedar with bones that are like beams of bronze job 40. Even though the word dinosaur is not used, scripture does indeed talk about them. Bible verses related to dinosaurs from the king james version kjv by relevance sort by book order job 40. I should mention that there are good christians who believe that dinosaurs lived during mans time. Look now at the behemoth, which i made along with you.
A general understanding of the most popular range from. Does the bible have anything specifically to say about. Tannin is a term which includes dragonlike animals and the great sea creatures such as whales, giant squids, and marine reptiles like the plesiosaurs that may have become extinct. 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 is also the case. The bible says the following concerning the behemoth. Jan 09, 2020 many people ask are there dinosaurs in the bible. Creation science and biblical interpretation, job 4041, dinosaurs. There has been controversy as to what behemoth really is. One question that puzzled him was why dinosaurs are not mentioned in the bible. Tannin is a term which includes dragonlike animals and the great sea creatures such as whales, giant squids, and marine reptiles like the plesiosaurs that may. A college student visited our offices some time ago and asked what he believed were troubling questions about the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans. As far as we are aware at the present time, there are no indisputable human fossils in the fossil record that we could say belong to the.
The bible mentions two strange creatures, behemoth job 40. Dinosaurs were animals that had become corrupted, werent taken into the ark, and died in the. It also matters in the sense that if the animals mentioned in job are, in fact, dinosaurs, this concludes humans and dinosaurs overlapped in time periods of existence. Those who believe in an older age for the earth tend to agree that the bible does not mention dinosaurs. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. If the bible does in fact make reference to dinosaurs, they would have gone under a. However, heres what i say about them in my study guide to job. First of all, dinosaurs were only discovered 200 years ago, long after the bible was written down. If god really did create dinosaurs, and if humans cohabited the earth with. I just recently started reading the book of enoch and early on when it talks about the fallen angels mating with women and giving birth to the nephilim, it soon after says they began to sin against various animals as well. Well, the poetic book of job does reference two huge creaturesa sea monster called leviathan and a land beast called behemoth. Does the bible mention dinosaurs or other extinct animals. You might expect that the bible would mention the most impressive. Dinosaurs are mentioned in the bible behemoth youtube.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. The book of job mentions two that are usually referred to as dinosaurs. For many years young earth creation science believers have pointed to the book of job, chapters 4041, as evidence that dinosaurs lived recently. Jun 12, 2019 it also matters in the sense that if the animals mentioned in job are, in fact, dinosaurs, this concludes humans and dinosaurs overlapped in time periods of existence. On the other hand, since the bible, right at the beginning, very, very briefly mentions the period when there were dinosaurs, you may ask why it does not mention them. It just doesnt make any specific mention of dinosaurs. Many countries and religions have flood stories, they are are all interesting. One is described in chapter 40 starting at verse 15, and the other in chapter 41 starting at verse 1. Look inside what does the bible say about dinosaurs.
Scholars, in studying jobs longevity he lived up to 140 years, descriptions of his wealth and household, believe he was most likely alive after the time of noah, but before the time of abraham. However, all in all, whether job referred to a diplodocus or a hippopotamus, this does not affect major doctrinal issues in the bible. Bible verses about dinosaurs bible verses related to dinosaurs from the king james version kjv by relevance sort by book order. Ministry magazine what does the bible say about dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were not mentioned in the bible, contrary to popular.
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