Behemoth
The gigantic monster mentioned at the end of the book of Job (well, one of them), Behemoth is likely a reference to an extant dinosaur (trust me, that book is old) or other now-extinct creature, or just something mythological. It is certainly not an elephant or hippo, as neither have a "tail like a cedar." But basically: Big thing, herbivorous, semi-aquatic, HUGE.
And then rabbinic tradition made it kind of an apocalyptic god-beast. Weirdos.
Okay, more background time:
The point of the Book of Job actually is not "Why do bad things happen to good people," but rather, "Can you know the mind of God?" After tons of discussion, Job, his three friends, and another guy named Elihu get interrupted by God who flat-out says, "Where were you when I created the universe? So, tell me all the mysteries of creation - of course YOU know them!" in a heavily-sarcastic way of saying that no, you can't know the mind of God. Job actually never is told why he suffered, with no idea of the book that would persist through millennia.
So, what does this have to do with Behemoth? At one point in God's long speech to Job, he discusses animals - "Do you know when the mopuntain goats give birth," and such. And one part of that section has the Behemoth and Leviathan, both lumped in with the other animals, and both sounding pretty fantastical. You know, "Are you stronger than this gigantic thing? Huh?"
So there you have it. one minor illustration turned into a massive debate!
Behemoth
The gigantic monster mentioned at the end of the book of Job (well, one of them), Behemoth is likely a reference to an extant dinosaur (trust me, that book is old) or other now-extinct creature, or just something mythological. It is certainly not an elephant or hippo, as neither have a "tail like a cedar." But basically: Big thing, herbivorous, semi-aquatic, HUGE.
And then rabbinic tradition made it kind of an apocalyptic god-beast. Weirdos.
Okay, more background time:
The point of the Book of Job actually is not "Why do bad things happen to good people," but rather, "Can you know the mind of God?" After tons of discussion, Job, his three friends, and another guy named Elihu get interrupted by God who flat-out says, "Where were you when I created the universe? So, tell me all the mysteries of creation - of course YOU know them!" in a heavily-sarcastic way of saying that no, you can't know the mind of God. Job actually never is told why he suffered, with no idea of the book that would persist through millennia.
So, what does this have to do with Behemoth? At one point in God's long speech to Job, he discusses animals - "Do you know when the mopuntain goats give birth," and such. And one part of that section has the Behemoth and Leviathan, both lumped in with the other animals, and both sounding pretty fantastical. You know, "Are you stronger than this gigantic thing? Huh?"
So there you have it. one minor illustration turned into a massive debate!