Concept in Definition ABC

In ancient times, sailors who sailed the seas were afraid of encountering a gigantic dragon with appearance of a sea serpent that was capable of devouring entire ships. This creature is known as Leviathan.

The origin of this monster is found in the Old Testament, specifically in Genesis and in the book of Isaiah. This beast arose on the fifth day of Creation, when God gave life to all the creatures of the sea. The serpent dragon was created to serve as the ruler of the vast sea kingdom.

As for his description, it is a being with more than three hundred incandescent eyes that allow it to illuminate the seas and with some nostrils from which steam comes out. Likewise, it has very close scales that act as if it were a protective shield and sharp teeth. His immense power made him an invincible creature.

A monstrous being from Hebrew mythology

The term Leviathan comes from the Hebrew word Liwyathan and is usually translated as coiled or twisted.

According to biblical accounts, no man can defeat Leviathan and for this

reason God punished him to live in a cavern on the seabed. In the tradition Hebrew this monster is considered as a being that symbolizes Satan and the idea of ​​absolute evil. In the legends of Judaism the Leviathan is presented as a dragon androgynous that he could change his appearance. Instead, in the Christian tradition the Leviathan is identified with the beast of the book of Revelation.

Other monstrous animals and beings that appear in the Bible

In the Sacred Scriptures most of the stories present a symbolic charge. With regard to animals and monstrous beings, their presence must also be interpreted in this sense. According to classification Biblical, animals are divided into clean and unclean.

Among the first we can mention the lamb (symbol of the submissive sacrifice), the lion (representation of the idea of ​​power) or the eagle (symbol of the heavenly vision).

Among the impure animals are the serpent (the symbol of original sin) or the scorpion (one of the many references to evil).

Among the monstrous beings, we can highlight the aforementioned Leviathan, the great dragon that appears in the Apocalypse, the unicorn that is in a version medieval of the Bible, to the locusts of Abaddon in the book of Revelation, to the Basilisk in the book of Isaiah or to the Behemoth in the book of Job.

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Themes in Leviathan