Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Revdpickrel AT wmconnect.com]

In a message dated 7/17/2006 2:06:34 AM Central Daylight Time, 
bjwvmw AT com-pair.net writes:


> Many scholars identify the OT leviathan with such mythological monsters of 
> chaos
> as Lotan of Ugarit or Tiamat and Kingu of Babylon. It s crushed heads in Psa
> 74:13 (assumed to be seven) are equated with those of seven-headed dragons
> (illustrated in IDB, III, P. 116) slain by Baal (Scripture substituting the 
> name
> of Yahweh), and its aroused coils in Job 3:8 with those which were supposed 
> ot
> cause eclipses when wrapped about the sum.

Are we missing the point, it doesn't matter whether  Leviathan was mythical 
or not, the whole metaphoric message is to teach something, a truth or two.  
What does this teach us?  Several truths come forth:
Were we present when God created....
Did we catch Leviathan with a fish hook....
If we did, we'd remember and never do it again....
And the final truth is, Leviathan is a metaphor for the serpent of old, the 
one whom God faught at creation and subdued, the one who now dwells among 
mankind, the king of the abyss, and so forth.  The rest is just commentary, 
something God has used to occupy our minds with creation.

Doug
Rev. Doug Pickrel, Litt.D.
Tejas Valley
San Antonio, Texas