Are Dinosaurs Mentioned In The Bible?

Dinosaurs existed, that is certain, but did they exist with mankind?

Not quite.

Think about it, mankind would have been unable to survive the appetite of carnivores such as Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus rex. Nor could man have survived herds of herbivores such as Brontosaurus, as their homes and camps would have been trampled.

To look at this from another angle, human remains have never been uncovered in digs with dinosaurs which is a knock to teachers of the “young earth doctrine”. The doctrine that teaches all of Creation is 6,000 years old.

We should understand, mankind in the flesh did not exist with the dinosaurs. Rather, mankind in the flesh and dinosaurs each belong to specific time periods along our old earth’s historical timeline.

So the question becomes, are dinosaurs in the Bible?

Possibly.

Was Behemoth A Dinosaur?

Please turn your Bible with me and listen to what our Father explains to Job.

Job 40:15
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

The first thing I want to point out is the phrase “which I made with thee”. Some believe this creature literally walked with Job which is possible, though doubtful.

When was Job created?

Not a few thousand years ago that is for certain, God created Job, His soul in “the world that then was,” (2 Peter 3:6). If you have difficulty understanding that, ask yourself, where did you come from?

God of course.

When we die, our spirit returns to God, (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Simply stated, our spirit was not created at the birth of our flesh, but far before that, during “The World That Was”. Just as this creature probably existed long ago.

Further, the translation in the King James Version (KJV) Bible causes many to error here, I believe the American Standard Version (ASV) Bible provides more clarity by simply stating, “which I made as well as thee“. God created Job, God created this great creature, and that is the entire point anyway.

I want you to note this word “behemoth” means,

“A water ox, that is, the hippopotamus or Nile horse”.

That description is not a fact, it is a guess. No one truly knows what is being described here, most scholars recognize God is not talking about an ox, hippo or horse. The Scriptures will make that clear enough before we complete.

Job 40:16
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.

God is telling us, this creature is extremely powerful.

Behemoth Moves His Tail Like A Cedar

Job 40:17
He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.

Now most teachers will stop right here, and say, “this is a dinosaur”. It certainly sounds like it at first glance. However, God said the tail “moveth” like a cedar, God did not say it looked like or possessed the size of a cedar, but then how does a cedar tree move?

It does not move, unless the wind blows it. So this is most likely a general description so we can understand this creature possessed a large tail.

The “sinews” are simply “tendons” with reference to the creature’s thigh region.

Just as Job probably never laid eyes on this animal, he certainly did not see the tendons of this animal while alive. God is simply providing an explanation to Job, possibly over the bones of such a creature.

Behemoth Has Bones Like Iron

Job 40:18
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.

An ox, hippo or horse certainly does not fit this description. They are strong, but their bones cannot be compared to iron.

The creature being referenced must have been larger than other creatures Job was familiar with, and bones of iron would be required in order to support a massive weight.

Job 40:19
He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.

The “chief” ways of God simply means the creature has “first rank” with God. This creature was that mighty. God hints that only He can come against this creature in combat, implying man cannot, and that becomes very clear in verse 24.

There is no creature in existence that fits this description so far. Man has killed oxen, hippos, and horses for as long as man has been around.

Let’s see what else we can learn.

Job 40:20
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.

This description makes it clear, we are not talking about a hippo. They do not travel to the mountains for food, they primarily live in the water. I also want you to note, from here on out God is referencing different environments where this animal lived.

Does that mean Job could literally see the animal in front of his eyes in all of these environments as God explained it?

Not likely.

Instead, we are reading a general description, a simple conversation God is having with Job.

Behemoth Lays Under Shady Trees

Job 40:21
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.

Now, this creature had to be large in stature from what we have covered so far, but not so large that he stood above the trees. This verse makes it very clear, this creature can lay down under a ‘shade tree’ and hide in the “reeds” and “fens” which is a “swamp”.

Have you ever been to a swamp?

They are typically a few inches to six feet in depth. “Reeds” are certainly not that tall. So for this creature to lay down and be covered by a “shady tree” and also “reeds” in the ‘swamp’ indicates its height cannot be that great.

To provide additional thought, it is interesting to note the words “shady trees” actually means “the lotus tree”. Some believe the lotus tree is the “Date Plum” tree which grows to a height of just 25 feet.

The descriptions we have read are not very fitting of the massive Brontosaurus, as is commonly pictured for us.

Job 40:22
The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.

The ‘shade trees’ are able to cover this creature with their “shadow”, and “the willows of the brook compass him” or cover him up.

The Brontosaurus is estimated to have been over 70 feet long and 30 feet tall excluding his neck. This makes it very unlikely that the Brontosaurus was able to lay down under the “shady tree”, be covered by “reeds” in the “swamp”, and “willows of the brook”.

It could have been a smaller dinosaur, or even Baluchitherium, which was the largest mammal known to exist. Baluchitherium is estimated to have been 18 feet tall with a tail of roughly 8 feet in length. This creature was an extremely large rhinoceros type of animal and of course, rhinos spend time in the water.

Paraceratherium-Baluchitherium
Artists rendering of Paraceratherium-Baluchitherium – Credit: Wiki Commons

Also note, God told Job this creature went to the “mountains”, ‘swamps’ and “brooks”.

Did Job see all of that from where he was standing?

Again, that is extremely doubtful. The point is, God is simply explaining to Job a creature that once walked the earth. It is worth noting, the bones of Baluchitherium have been discovered in the general region where Job would have lived.

Behemoth Drinks Up A River

Job 40:23
Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

Once again, an ox, hippo, and horse do not accurately fit this description either.

It is clear enough, this creature had to be larger than any other creature Job had seen with his own eyes, but not so large that it could not lay down under ‘shade trees’ and be covered with their “shadows”.

Baluchitherium is a good fit, and there may be other creatures as well.

Job 40:24
He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.

The King James Version is a bit tough to follow here. The ASV and other Bible versions help explain, God is simply telling Job, can any man capture this creature?

The answer is no as verse 19 already indicated.

Mankind has always been able to capture oxes, hippos, and horses. Yet, the creature God described to Job is far more mighty.

If this creature were a dinosaur, it certainly was not the largest of them since it had to be small enough to be covered by a “shade tree”, ‘reeds in the swamp’ and “willows of the brook”.

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