[swim2112]

Ok guys... Here is a verse--rather a set of verses-- that I am interested to see what you have to say about them.. Some people think that the Behemoth is a Dino, whereas others think that it is a Hippo. Personally i think that it is a hippo, and here is why i think this:

THIS IS THE NIV TRANSLATION:

Job 40:15-24
15 "Look at the behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox.
16 What strength he has in his loins, what power in the muscles of his belly!
17 His tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are close-knit.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like rods of iron.
19 He ranks first among the works of God, yet his Maker can approach him with his sword.
20 The hills bring him their produce, and all the wild animals play nearby.
21 Under the lotus plants he lies, hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
22 The lotuses conceal him in their shadow; the poplars by the stream surround him.
23 When the river rages, he is not alarmed; he is secure, though the Jordan should surge against his mouth.
24 Can anyone capture him by the eyes, or trap him and pierce his nose?



THIS IS THE KING JAMES VERSION:

Job 40:15-24
15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.



THIS IS THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION:

Job 40:15-24
15 "Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox.
16 See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18 His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron.
19 He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring near His sword.
20 Surely the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there.
21 He lies under the lotus trees, in a covert of reeds and marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him.
23 Indeed the river may rage, yet he is not disturbed; he is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,
24 Though he takes it in his eyes, or one pierces his nose with a snare.


HERE IS THE WEBSTER DICTIONARY'S OPINION:

behemoth (bi hemet; also behi mat, -mot)
n.
1 Bible a huge animal, assumed to be the hippopotamus: Job 40:15-24
2 any animal or thing that is huge or very powerful

Etymology
[Heb behemot, intens. pl. of behema, beast; akin to Ethiopic behma, dumb, speechless & Ar abham (> bahma(t), bahma(t), animal)]

(this etymology is very interesting... this should be the first place one looks when defining a term, because it gives a free root evaluation.. In this case, the original Hebrew.)



Matthew Henry's Commentary take on the subject of the Behemoth:
Job 40:15-24

Description of behemoth


God, for the further proving of his own power and disproving of Job's pretensions, concludes his discourse with the description of two vast and mighty animals, far exceeding man in bulk and strength, one he calls behemoth, the other leviathan. In these verses we have the former described. "Behold now behemoth, and consider whether thou art able to contend with him who made that beast and gave him all the power he has, and whether it is not thy wisdom rather to submit to him and make thy peace with him." Behemoth signifies beasts in general, but must here be meant of some one particular species. Some understand it of the bull; others of an amphibious animal, well known (they say) in Egypt, called the river-horse (hippopotamus), living among the fish in the river Nile, but coming out to feed upon the earth. But I confess I see no reason to depart from the ancient and most generally received opinion, that it is the elephant that is here described, which is a very strong stately creature, of very large stature above any other, of wonderful sagacity, and of so great a reputation in the animal kingdom that among so many four-footed beasts as we have had the natural history of (ch. 38 and 39) we can scarcely suppose this should be omitted. Observe,
I. The description here given of the behemoth.
1. His body is very strong and well built. His strength is in his loins, v. 16. His bones, compared with those of other creatures, are like bars of iron, v. 18. His back-bone is so strong that, though his tail be not large, yet he moves it like a cedar, with a commanding force, v. 17. Some understand it of the trunk of the elephant, for the word signifies any extreme part, and in that there is indeed a wonderful strength. So strong is the elephant in his back and loins, and the sinews of his thighs, that he will carry a large wooden tower, and a great number of fighting men in it. No animal whatsoever comes near the elephant for strength of body, which is the main thing insisted on in this description.
2. He feeds on the productions of the earth and does not prey upon other animals: He eats grass as an ox (v. 15), the mountains bring him forth food (v. 20), and the beasts of the field do not tremble before him nor flee from him, as from a lion, but they play about him, knowing they are in no danger from him. This may give us occasion,
(1.) To acknowledge the goodness of God in ordering it so that a creature of such bulk, which requires so much food, should not feed upon flesh (for then multitudes must die to keep him alive), but should be content with the grass of the field, to prevent such destruction of lives as otherwise must have ensued.
(2.) to commend living upon herbs and fruits without flesh, according to the original appointment of man's food, . Even the strength of an elephant, as of a horse and an ox, may be supported without flesh; and why not that of a man? Though therefore we use the liberty God has allowed us, yet be not among riotous eaters of flesh, .
(3.) to commend a quiet and peaceable life. Who would not rather, like the elephant, have his neighbours easy and pleasant about him, than, like the lion, have them all afraid of him?
3. He lodges under the shady trees (v. 21), which cover him with their shadow (v. 22), where he has a free and open air to breathe in, while lions, which live by prey, when they would repose themselves, are obliged to retire into a close and dark den, to live therein, and to abide in the covert of that, . Those who are a terror to others cannot but be sometimes a terror to themselves too; but those will be easy who will let others be easy about them; and the reed and fens, and the willows of the brook, though a very weak and slender fortification, yet are sufficient for the defence and security of those who therefore dread no harm, because they design none.
4. That he is a very great and greedy drinker, not of wine or strong drink (to be greedy of that is peculiar to man, who by his drunkenness makes a beast of himself), but of fair water.
(1.) his size is prodigious, and therefore he must have supply accordingly, v. 23. He drinks so much that one would think he could drink up a river, if you would give him time, and not hasten him. Or, when he drinks, he hasteth not, as those do that drink in fear; he is confident of his own strength and safety, and therefore makes no haste when he drinks, no more haste than good speed.
(2.) his eye anticipates more than he can take; for, when he is very thirsty, having been long kept without water, he trusts that he can drink up Jordan in his mouth, and even takes it with his eyes, v. 24. As a covetous man causes his eyes to fly upon the wealth of this world, which he is greedy of, so this great beast is said to snatch, or draw up, even a river with his eyes.
(3.) his nose has in it strength enough for both; for, when he goes greedily to drink with it, he pierces through snares or nets, which perhaps are laid in the waters to catch fish. He makes nothing of the difficulties that lie in his way, so great is his strength and so eager his appetite.
II. The use that is to be made of this description. We have taken a view of this mountain of a beast, this over-grown animal, which is here set before us, not merely as a show (as sometimes it is in our country) to satisfy our curiosity and to amuse us, but as an argument with us to humble ourselves before the great God.


Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary:
ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE (A TO D)

Behemoth. Behemoth could mean elephant, crocodile, hippopotamus, water buffalo, or mythological monster. The word appears in , where God humbles Job by praising two of His creations, behemoth and Leviathan. Hippopotamus is the best choice for the precise meaning of behemoth. Hippos submerge themselves in rivers and bask in cool marshes. Yet they can climb up riverbanks and hillsides, devouring vegetation. An angered hippo can bite a man in half or crush a canoe with his enormous jaws.




Ok... i hope this is all spelled right... my hand is about to fall off
So if not i will edit tomorrow... ehhh... later today!

hmm... i voted for i don't know... i don't think it's a hippo.. sounds to me like it's a little more grand than that... altough.... everyone really should vote for i don't know.. cos you don't KNOW... you can make an educated guess, or say what you think is most likely... but i don't think there's anyway we can know exactly what it's talking about...

[bobthecockroach]

why does it do that?! that would be me ^

[swim2112]

BUT... if you use your logic... then only 1/2 the Bible can be taken as fact... or maybe 1/3... i forgot the actual percentage... If y'all really want it I could look it up for ya...

*crosses fingers and hopes she still has the sheet*

But i think that it is important to be able to make a decision on these things...

Now i HOPE and PRAY that i am not the ONLY one who has an opinion on this subject...

[bobthecockroach]

excuse me? only half the bible can be taken as fact?!


2 Timothy 3:16-17 ALL(not half or a third, ALL) Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[swim2112]

Originally posted by bobthecockroach
excuse me? only half the bible can be taken as fact?!


2 Timothy 3:16-17 ALL(not half or a third, ALL) Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Please read my whole post... IF WE FOLLOW YOUR LOGIC... only 1/2 the Bible can be taken as fact... the other half... third... whatever was estabolished my making guesses on how the original languages translated into English...

If you need more proof of this i will be glad to post that information sheet... (If i can find it)

[bobthecockroach]

the original languages are things that many people still read and speak today... i don't think there would be any problem translating them to english... go ahead and post your information sheet... but i don't see how you can say only half of it can be taken as fact..

[dragonflysongs]

it's a wooly mammoth

[swim2112]

Originally posted by dragonflysongs
it's a wooly mammoth

AHHHH... yes... i can see from all the proof with wich you supplied us that i am totally off base in my thoughts... WOW... look at all the proof that DFS gave us eh? I thought that i had a long post...

HO! Of course i am JUST KIDDING with you, and if i DID offend you i am deeply sorry... Sometimes i am harsh w/o knowing at all...

But seriously... i would like to see your proof... or is this just your personal belief??

Well... hope to hear from you soon!!

Thanks!!
swim2112

[swim2112]

Originally posted by bobthecockroach
the original languages are things that many people still read and speak today... i don't think there would be any problem translating them to english... go ahead and post your information sheet... but i don't see how you can say only half of it can be taken as fact..

HO! Alas my orginazitional skills--rather lack of--are catching up with me... i looked and looked and looked for my sheet with which i could put your mind at ease... but it is no where to be found...

If you do follow the languages... then why did you say that we could not tell from the references... Did you not read my info that i posted?? It has many references to the roots that make up Behemoth... and they all point to Hipp-Hipp-Hipp-Hippoptamus!!
(BTW:that is a part of a song... )

Well... since i could not find my sheet with which to prove my point... i am willing to drop that arguement and give you the point since i could not back up my claim... (It is true though)

[thief]

maby it's a dragon.

[swim2112]

I am all about the proff guys

[JerryLove]

"the original languages are things that many people still read and speak today... i don't think there would be any problem translating them to english..."

This is an untrue comment.

[smitty2622]

swim2112:
I agree with you it’s a Hippo, but you have spent way more time on this than I have. It could actually be any large, docile, powerful, and water loving animal. I think the story is meant to show us how we should be happy with what God gives us and not want more than we need..

[zoe r]

Frankly, I have NO OPINION WHATSOEVER on the subject..it's not a life or death matter trying to figure out which big animal it was..so, in conclusion, I voted hippo out of the kindness of my heart.