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Jewish Meaning of Leviathan

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
I would like to know what exactly is the Jewish meaning of Leviathan, which is described in Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 74:14:

14You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You give it as food to the people in companies.

click here: Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 74 - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible (chabad.org)

Yeshayahu - Isaiah - Chapter 27:1:

1On that day, the Lord shall visit with His hard and great and strong sword on leviathan the barlike serpent, and upon leviathan the crooked serpent, and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

click here: Yeshayahu - Isaiah - Chapter 27 - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible (chabad.org)

And the entire chapter of Iyov - Job - Chapter 41:

1Then Job answered God and said, אוַיַּ֖עַן אִיּ֥וֹב אֶת־יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיֹּאמַֽר:
2"I knew that You can do everything and no design is restrained from You. ביָ֖דַעְתִּי (כתיב יָדַעְתִּ) כִּי־כֹ֣ל תּוּכָ֑ל וְלֹא־יִבָּצֵ֖ר מִמְּךָ֣ מְזִמָּֽה:
3Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore, I told but I did not understand; they are hidden from me and I did not know. גמִ֚י זֶ֨ה | מַעְלִ֥ים עֵצָ֗ה בְּלִ֫י דָ֥עַת לָכֵ֣ן הִ֖גַּדְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אָבִ֑ין נִפְלָא֥וֹת מִ֜מֶּ֗נִּי וְלֹ֣א אֵדָֽע:
4Hearken now and I will speak; I will ask You and [You] inform me. דשְֽׁמַע־נָ֖א וְאָֽנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר אֶ֜שְׁאָֽלְךָ֗ וְהֽוֹדִיעֵֽנִי:
5I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, and now, my eye has seen You. הלְשֵֽׁמַע־אֹ֥זֶן שְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ וְ֜עַתָּ֗ה עֵינִ֥י רָאָֽתְךָ:
6Therefore I despise [my life], and I will be consoled on dust and ashes." ועַל־כֵּ֖ן אֶמְאַ֣ס וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי עַל־עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר:
7Now it came to pass after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and your two companions because you did not speak correctly, as did My servant Job. זוַיְהִ֗י אַחַ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־אִיּ֑וֹב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָה֜ אֶל־אֱלִיפַ֣ז הַתֵּֽימָנִ֗י חָרָ֨ה אַפִּ֚י בְךָ֙ וּבִשְׁנֵ֣י רֵעֶ֗יךָ כִּ֠י לֹ֣א דִּבַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֵלַ֛י נְכוֹנָ֖ה כְּעַבְדִּ֥י אִיּֽוֹב:
8And now, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams and go to My servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and Job My servant will pray for you, for I will favor him not to do anything unseemly to you, for you did not speak to Me correctly, as did My servant Job." חוְעַתָּ֡ה קְחֽוּ־לָכֶ֣ם שִׁבְעָֽה־פָרִים֩ וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה אֵילִי֜ם וּלְכ֣וּ | אֶל־עַבְדִּ֣י אִיּ֗וֹב וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶ֚ם עוֹלָה֙ בַּֽעַדְכֶ֔ם וְאִיּ֣וֹב עַבְדִּ֔י יִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֧י אִם־פָּנָ֣יו אֶשָּׂ֗א לְבִלְתִּ֞י עֲשׂ֚וֹת עִמָּכֶם֙ נְבָלָ֔ה כִּ֠י לֹ֣א דִבַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֵלַ֛י נְכוֹנָ֖ה כְּעַבְדִּ֥י אִיּֽוֹב:
9Now Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord had spoken to them, and the Lord favored Job. טוַיֵּֽלְכוּ֩ אֱלִיפַ֨ז הַתֵּֽימָנִי֜ וּבִלְדַּ֣ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י צֹפַר֙ הַנַּ֣עֲמָתִ֔י וַיַּ֣עֲשׂ֔וּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשָּׂ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י אִיּֽוֹב:
10Now the Lord returned Job's captivity when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had had before. יוַֽיהֹוָ֗ה שָׁ֤ב אֶת־שְׁב֣וּת (כתיב שְׁב֣יּת) אִיּ֔וֹב בְּהִֽתְפַּלְל֖וֹ בְּעַ֣ד רֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֧סֶף יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְאִיּ֖וֹב לְמִשְׁנֶֽה:
11Now all his brothers and all his sisters and all his previous acquaintances came to him and ate a meal in his house, and they bemoaned him and consoled him concerning all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him, and they gave him, each one one piece of money and each one one golden nose ring. יאוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ אֵ֠לָיו כָּל־אֶחָ֨יו וְכָל־אַחְיוֹתָיו֜ (כתיב אַחְיֹתָיו֜) וְכָל־יֹֽדְעָ֣יו לְפָנִ֗ים וַיֹּאכְל֨וּ עִמּ֣וֹ לֶחֶם֘ בְּבֵיתוֹ֒ וַיָּנֻ֚דוּ לוֹ֙ וַיְנַֽחֲמ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ עַ֤ל כָּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵבִ֥יא יְהֹוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַיִּתְּנוּ־ל֗וֹ אִ֤ישׁ קְשִׂיטָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְאִ֕ישׁ נֶ֥זֶם זָהָ֖ב אֶחָֽד:
12Now the Lord blessed Job's end more than his beginning, and he had fourteen thousand flocks and six thousand camels and a thousand yoke of cattle and a thousand she-donkeys. יבוַֽיהֹוָ֗ה בֵּרַ֛ךְ אֶת־אַֽחֲרִ֥ית אִיּ֖וֹב מֵרֵֽאשִׁת֑וֹ וַֽיְהִי־ל֡וֹ אַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר אֶלֶ֜ף צֹ֗אן וְשֵׁ֚שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ גְּמַלִּ֔ים וְאֶ֛לֶף־צֶ֥מֶד בָּקָ֖ר וְאֶ֥לֶף אֲתוֹנֽוֹת:
13And he had fourteen sons and three daughters. יגוַֽיְהִי־ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥נָה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת:
14And he named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. ידוַיִּקְרָ֚א שֵֽׁם־הָֽאַחַת֙ יְמִימָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית קְצִיעָ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית קֶ֥רֶן הַפּֽוּךְ:
15Nowhere in the land were women as beautiful as Job's daughters to be found, and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. טווְלֹ֨א נִמְצָא֜ נָשִׁ֥ים יָפ֛וֹת כִּבְנ֥וֹת אִיּ֖וֹב בְּכָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֧ם אֲבִיהֶ֛ם נַֽחֲלָ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם:
16Now Job lived thereafter one hundred and forty years, and he saw his sons and his sons' sons for four generations. טזוַיְחִ֚י אִיּוֹב֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־זֹ֔את מֵאָ֥ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיִּרְאֶ֤ה (כתיב וַיִּרְאֶ֤) אֶת־בָּנָיו֙ וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֣י בָנָ֔יו אַרְבָּעָ֖ה דֹּרֽוֹת:
17Then Job died, being old and sated with days. יזוַיָּ֣מָת אִיּ֔וֹב זָקֵ֖ן וּשְׂבַ֥ע יָמִֽים:

click here: Iyov - Job - Chapter 42 - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible (chabad.org)

But you get the original text language in the chapter of Job that I copied and pasted. :) But I have read and looked at a lot of commentary on these verses, however, I would like to know what the Jewish viewpoint is.
 

Sand Dancer

Crazy Cat Lady
I would like to know what exactly is the Jewish meaning of Leviathan, which is described in Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 74:14:



click here: Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 74 - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible (chabad.org)

Yeshayahu - Isaiah - Chapter 27:1:



click here: Yeshayahu - Isaiah - Chapter 27 - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible (chabad.org)

And the entire chapter of Iyov - Job - Chapter 41:



click here: Iyov - Job - Chapter 42 - Tanakh Online - Torah - Bible (chabad.org)

But you get the original text language in the chapter of Job that I copied and pasted. :) But I have read and looked at a lot of commentary on these verses, however, I would like to know what the Jewish viewpoint is.

I can't speak for the Jewish meaning, but the idea came from Canaanite myth, which may have stemmed from Hindu myth.
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member

The leviathan itself may have been found in a Mesopotamian incantation designed "to revive a serpent" (see van Dijk in bibliography). The closest Near Eastern parallel to the biblical materials, however, and probably their actual source, is the Ugaritic myth(s) of Baal and Anat pitted against various sea monsters, one of which is named Lotan (Pritchard, op. cit.; COS I, 265). Not only is this merely another form of the name leviathan, but the same epithets used of leviathan are here prefigured of Lotan, e.g., btn brḥ and btn ʿqltn as compared with naḥash bariah and naḥash ʿaqallaton of Isaiah 27:1.

(emphasis is mine)

Thank you, dybmh.
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
Commentary

The Enuma Elish would later be the inspiration for the Hebrew scribes who created the text now known as the biblical Book of Genesis. Prior to the 19th century CE, the Bible was considered the oldest book in the world and its narratives were thought to be completely original. In the mid-19th century CE, however, European museums, as well as academic and religious institutions, sponsored excavations in Mesopotamia to find physical evidence for historical corroboration of the stories in the Bible. These excavations found quite the opposite, however, in that, once cuneiform was translated, it was understood that a number of biblical narratives were Mesopotamian in origin.

click here: Enuma Elish - The Babylonian Epic of Creation - Full Text - World History Encyclopedia

Therefore, this is the kind of thing that I am finding concerning references of pagan myths in the Hebrew Bible, even though, paganism is supposed to be an anathema to Jews. :confused:
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member

And this is slightly off topic with the Christian Bible in mind:

The Hittites knew it as the struggle between the dragon Illuyankas and the mortal Hupashiyas (Pritchard, Texts, 125–6; COS I, 150–51). In Mesopotamia it appears in several forms, of which the most famous is the battle of Marduk and Tiamat in the creation epic (COS I, 390–402). More relevant is a cylinder seal from Tell Asmar of the 24th century B.C.E., which pictures two men fighting a seven-headed serpent (reproduced in IDB 3, 116).
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
Biblical echoes

In the Biblical tradition, the polytheistic mythologies of the sky and storm gods conquering the primordial sea demon is replaced by the idea that God reigned supreme from the beginning. Thus, Genesis 1:1 states: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Yet, in the following verse, even before the creation of light, an echo of the older myth of the sky god creating order out of the watery chaos may be seen: "darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Psalm 89:9 reiterates the theme of God's sovereignty over the chaotic deep: "You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them." However, Psalm 74:14 preserves a tradition which reflects the Hebrew deity Yahweh's acting in Baal's role, by defeating the sea monster Leviathan (Lotan): "It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert." The Book of Job 3:8 seems to refer to a day when the tyrant of the sea will wake from his sleep, speaking of "those who are ready to rouse Leviathan." Isaiah 27:1, meanwhile refers to God's victory over Leviathan in the future: "In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; He will slay the reptile that is in the sea."

click here: Yam (god) - New World Encyclopedia
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
More reading for anyone who's interested:

You might wonder why the storm and the sea can’t just get along. But a “cosmic battle” between a storm god and a malevolent ocean deity is a common motif in ancient Semitic mythology. East of Canaan, the Babylonians had their own version of this cosmic battle story, the Enuma Elish. You even see echoes of it in the Bible’s Book of Psalms, where Yahweh beats up the sea and its watery monster minions (yam in Hebrew means sea):

You divided the sea by your might;​
you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan. (Psalm 74)

The Israelites, like their neighbors in Canaan and Mesopotamia, probably understood that a major battle against the sea took place before the act of creation in Genesis. The ancients of the Middle East believed our world exists tenuously as a bubble of order within the swirling chaos of the sea, like the interior of a snowglobe — and the point of such a cosmic battle against the sea is to set our world’s boundaries. Baal-Hadad’s victory over Yam also earns him his official status as Lord of the gods.

click here: The Baals in your court. How this doofus storm god became a… | by Daniel Kenis | The Purple People | Medium
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
I found a very informative 18-minute video about Leviathan, which briefly covers some Christian, but mostly Hebrew/Jewish aspects of Leviathan such as Job 3:8, the Midrash, in a Jewish hymn sung at the Festival of Shavout and the Jewish Talmud. Although, the video did say that it's part of the Avoda Zara in the Talmud. Also, as the video goes along, it seems to demonstrate that Leviathan was more than just a metaphor but seemed to be something that the ancient Hebrews (including Job) thought was part of real life. Also, the way that this video covers Job 41, it really seems like God is speaking about something real.

 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
I'm curious. Is this thread being shadow banned or something? Because it seems like the views have gotten lower than they were the other day. :confused:
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
If you think there's a bug, feel free to report it to the staff in Site Feedback and we'll see if there's anything that can be done. https://www.religiousforums.com/forums/site-feedback.344/

Okay, but I'll just continue to keep an eye on it. Also, sometimes I get the impression that people may be thinking that David Davidovich is not playing fair by referring to Leviathan... And perhaps that is the reason why this is one thread that Ehav4Ever won't go near.
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
Okay, but I'll just continue to keep an eye on it. Also, sometimes I get the impression that people may be thinking that David Davidovich is not playing fair by referring to Leviathan... And perhaps that is the reason why this is one thread that Ehav4Ever won't go near.
Just reminding to tag members with a @ before their username when you mention them.

I don't know about fair or not fair, but you must realize that not everyone has something to say about every topic, or wishes to say something about every topic, or has time to say something about every topic. Not everything is a conspiracy against you. :)

If you're looking for an answer from a particular member, you can tag them and request they reply, but they aren't under any obligation to do so.
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
Just reminding to tag members with a @ before their username when you mention them.

I don't know about fair or not fair, but you must realize that not everyone has something to say about every topic, or wishes to say something about every topic, or has time to say something about every topic. Not everything is a conspiracy against you. :)

Well, I wasn't trying to imply that there was a conspiracy against me, but there was a forum that I used to read years ago, and it actually had a Judaism section, which was actually protected by the forum. And they didn't allow anyone to say anything that was either bad or somehow depreciating to Jews. Therefore, I didn't know if this forum was the same way. However, I probably just remembered the view count incorrectly.

If you're looking for an answer from a particular member, you can tag them and request they reply, but they aren't under any obligation to do so.

Okay, no problem. However, I do want to say that I've come to the conclusion that Jews either don't care about Leviathan or perhaps the topic of Leviathan is embarrassing to them and therefore, they just kind of dismiss it. :shrug:
 

David Davidovich

Well-Known Member
Haven't a clue. Sea monster would be my first guess, since they seem to have been popular in ANE mythology. What do you think?

Well, that seems to be what the evidence is pointing to. However, I don't quite understand why Hashem would include that in the Tanakh since paganism is supposed to be an anathema to Hashem.
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
Well, I wasn't trying to imply that there was a conspiracy against me, but there was a forum that I used to read years ago, and it actually had a Judaism section, which was actually protected by the forum. And they didn't allow anyone to say anything that was either bad or somehow depreciating to Jews. Therefore, I didn't know if this forum was the same way.
RF has sections that are open only to members of certain groups. We also have rules against trolling, bullying or disparaging various groups, not just Jews. But we welcome discussion and debate, and respectful criticism in the relevant sections of the forums.
However, I do want to say that I've come to the conclusion that Jews either don't care about Leviathan or perhaps the topic of Leviathan is embarrassing to them and therefore, they just kind of dismiss it. :shrug:
For most, it's more the former. Orthodox Jews, as well as traditional Jews in the past believe that in the World to Come, righteous people will enjoy some kind of feast comprised of the dead Leviathan and Behemoth, while sitting in a Sukkah (booth) made out of the skin of the Leviathan. This is obviously symbolic of something because eating is not something needed in the World to Come. I didn't mention this because it's not really related to the verses in Isaiah and Job. More Psalms, maybe. Anyway, most Jews don't spend time thinking about it too much. That may be shocking to you, but that's life.
Well, that seems to be what the evidence is pointing to. However, I don't quite understand why Hashem would include that in the Tanakh since paganism is supposed to be an anathema to Hashem.
There are many, many such examples and it seems that every now and then someone finds another example. The conclusion is that from this perspective, the entire Tanach exists just as a Jewification of ancient mythological narratives from all over the world (mostly Mesopotamia and Egypt, but even Grecian concepts may be found, theoretically). This Jewification is not plagiarism, as many wish to claim. The Tanach, I believe, comes to present the true way one is supposed to view these stories and events, as well as being one continuous volley of headbutts to idolatry and idolatrous concepts.

However, this understanding of Tanach is something that troubles me a lot, for reasons that I don't want to go into here. I will only say that I have not yet found a satisfactory solution to these issues.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
Well, that seems to be what the evidence is pointing to. However, I don't quite understand why Hashem would include that in the Tanakh since paganism is supposed to be an anathema to Hashem.
For those of us who believe that the Tanakh is a multivalent human product, this is not a meaningful question.

For those Jews who view the text as Hashem-authored, many might consider a lesson from Job, i.e., that it's presumptuous at best to think we should always be able to "quite understand" G-d.
 
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