Behemoths are tied with the Phoenix Bird (firebird) as the least mentioned of the mythical animals in the King James Bible. It appears, by name, only once. That said, along with the leviathan, it is discussed in greater detail than the other fantastical beasts covered in this series.
The Hebrew word from which the King James gets "behemoth" is spelled the same as it is in English (Strong's Concordance #H930). It occurs only once in the Old Testament's original manuscripts.
Job 38 to 41 is God's response to Job's request that He answer him regarding the suffering he felt was unjustifiably brought on him (see Job 9:33, 13:22, 16:19 - 20, 31:35). It is within this personal, face-to-face rebuke of Job's criticisms and attempt to second guess the Lord's perfect will that we find behemoths are mentioned.
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. (Job 40:15, KJV throughout).
Characteristics
Behemoths in the Bible are presented as the king of all land animals even as leviathans are discussed as the kings of all those who live in water.
Behemoths were grass-eating animals God created (Job 40:15). They possessed a great deal of physical strength in their loins, legs, stomach and tail. They could, in fact, swing their tail as easily as a branch of cedar! They also had bones so strong that they are likened to bars of iron.
The behemoth's size and incredible power was such that they could not be overcome by man or beast but only by God.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. (Job 40:16 - 19).
These beasts lived under shady trees and could drink a remarkable amount of water.
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. (Job 40:21 - 23).
They could, lastly, break through any snare prepared for them.
He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares. (Job 40:24).
Symbolism in the Bible
God used the behemoth to symbolize his eternal power, majesty and wisdom that was far above what humans possessed. These, of course, were qualities Job lacked, which was the point of the Lord's entire rebuke from Job 38:1 to 41:34.
Was It Real?
Was the behemoth a real animal? It clearly was real, as it would make no sense for God, in his correction of Job, to use an imaginary creature to humble the patriarch!
God claimed that he made the behemoth just like he made humans. He also challenged Job to look at or consider its amazing characteristics (Job 40:15), something that couldn't be done if it didn't really exist! Such details speak of a real creature Job had seen and was aware of.
God, prior to Job 40:15, mentions what are undeniably real animals such as lions, ravens, wild goats, deer, wild donkeys, peacocks, ostriches, horses and so on (see Job 38:39 - 39:30). It therefore makes sense that the behemoth discussed in Job 40:15 - 24 was also real.
What Was It?
Several Biblical commentaries believe Job 40 is referring to a hippopotamus or an elephant. Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions for the word behemoth (#H930), however, states it possibly references an extinct dinosaur such as a Diplodocus or Brachiosaurus. The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge agrees with this assessment.
"Behemoth . . . Perhaps an extinct dinosaur, maybe a Diplodocus or Brachiosaurus, the exact meaning is unknown. " (comment on Job 40:15).
Surprisingly, the descriptions in the Bible of behemoths better fits extinct dinosaurs than any other beast or mythical creature! Henry Morris writes the following in this regard.
"It is important to remember that Job lived during the early generations after the Flood, and that he no doubt had seen many animals that later became extinct.
"The description of behemoth seems to fit perfectly what we know about such a land dinosaur as apatosaurus, for example, and leviathan fits what we know about some large marine reptiles, such as the plesiosaur or ichthyosaur, for example . . .
No man could trap this animal (in reference to the behemoth) . . . Every sentence is appropriate in describing such a huge dinosaur . . ." (Biblical Basis for Modern Science, chapter 12).
Other Fascinating Information
God blessed Job, after his trials were over, with double the blessings he once had. The patriarch had seven more sons and three more daughters, the same number he had before he suffered (Job 1:2, 42:13). While the patriarch, at one time, owned 7000 sheep, 3000 camels and 500 she asses, God blessed him with 14000 sheep, 6000 camels, 1000 she asses, and even 1000 oxen (1:3, 42:12).
According to the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, haggadic literature offers the following about behemoths.
"Even the hunting of the leviathan will be a source of great enjoyment to the righteous. Those, says R. Judan bar Simon, who have not taken part in pagan sports will be allowed to participate in the hunting of the leviathan and of the behemoth (Lev. R. xiii. 3)." (article on leviathans and behemoths).
The book of Enoch, a non-Biblical Jewish religious text likely written between 200 to 300 B.C., states the following about behemoths.
And on that day were two monsters parted, a female monster named Leviathan, to dwell in the abysses of the ocean over the fountains of the waters. But the male is named Behemoth, who occupied with his breast a waste wilderness named Dendain, on the east of the garden where the elect and righteous dwell . . ." (Enoch 60:7 - 8).