What was Behemoth?

This may seem a little funny in the Theology Discussions section of the forums, but no, I'm serious. It's in the Bible, and its identity is disputed. So, what's your viewpoint?

It seems to me that the Behemoth was a very real creature, and could have possibly been a dinosaur, such as the Brontosaurus.

I agree with you on the dinosaur part. But Brontosaurus was an accidental combination of an Apatosaurus skeleton and a Camarasaurus head. :) Do you think Leviathan was a dinosaur, too? (Like a Kronosaurus or something?)

Water-dwelling large reptiles are not technically dinosaurs. But Leviathan was definitely a creature that we have never even heard of existing nowadays, especially when you think about its breathing fire. Does anybody think that could be literal? I think it is very possible that fire-breathing animals have existed before. Just think about the bombardier beetle. The "fire-breathing" Leviathan could have a system similar to this little beetle, but much larger.

Just for everyone's information, the passage about Behemoth is Job 40:15-24. The description of Leviathan takes up the whole of Job 41, and the mysterious animal is also mentioned in three other places in the Bible.

I think that the behemoth was an actual creature. At least, God seemed to imply that Job should know all these characteristics about it. I also believe that leviathan was an actual creature. They may possibly have been dinosaurs or dragons that have since gone extinct.

It's ridiculous how, even in the NIV study notes, some people say that leviathan could have been a crocodile, and that behemoth could have been a hippopotamus or an elephant. Leviathan–fire-breathing. Behemoth–tail as strong as a cedar tree. I don't think these animals quite match the descriptions given in Job. :P

You're right about there being no water dinosaurs. Sorry, I hadn't been thinking for a minute.

Oh, and how many of you guys have watched or read stuff by Answers in Genesis?

I love AIG!

Me too! =)

The Bible describes it as having a tail like a cedar. Some people assume it to be a elephant or a hippopotamus. But do elephants or hippopotamuses have tails like cedars? Nope!

Job 40:15-18 says this:

“Look now at the behemoth,which I made along with you; He eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his hips, And his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. His bones are like beams of bronze, His ribs like bars of iron.

This is the perfect description of a sauropod dinosaur, perhaps the Branchiosaurus or Diplodicus.

Those creatures look so awe-inspiring, it's easy to see how people could say "He ranks first among the works of God."
Of course, though, I could be biased, because dinosaurs are my favorite animal.

Not tigers? ;-)

Tigers are my favorite animals that we know still exist. Especially white tigers!! I also like dragons. :-) Which are kind of the same as dinosaurs.

Griffins are pretty cool, too.

As are Mumakil, and Meara, and Centaurs, and Fauns, and Minotaurs, and……

Exactly! Especially centaurs.