A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Leviathan

Usage

Refers to any big creature or powerful machine, usually of a type associated with water; the name of a book by Thomas Hobbes (1651) on political philosophy.

Definition

Leviathan is a water monster, but the Bible references suggest that the name was given to various types of water creature from the crocodile to the whale.

Bible References

Job 41:1; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26; Isaiah 27:1

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord? ²Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? ³Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words? ⁴Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever? ⁵Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls? ⁶Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants? ⁷Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? ⁸Lay your hands on him; remember the battle - you will not do it again! ⁹Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him. ¹⁰No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me? ¹¹Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. ¹²I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame. ¹³Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle? ¹⁴Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror. ¹⁵His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal. ¹⁶One is so near to another that no air can come between them. ¹⁷They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated. ¹⁸His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn. ¹⁹Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth. ²⁰Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. ²¹His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth. ²²In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him. ²³The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable. ²⁴His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone. ²⁵When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves. ²⁶Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin. ²⁷He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood. ²⁸The arrow cannot make him flee; for him sling stones are turned to stubble. ²⁹Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins. ³⁰His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire. ³¹He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. ³²Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be white-haired. ³³On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. ³⁴He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.

¹Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? ²Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? ³Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? ⁴Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? ⁵Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? ⁶Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? ⁷Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears? ⁸Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. ⁹Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? ¹⁰None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? ¹¹Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. ¹²I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. ¹³Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? ¹⁴Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. ¹⁵His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. ¹⁶One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. ¹⁷They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. ¹⁸By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. ¹⁹Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. ²⁰Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. ²¹His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. ²²In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. ²³The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. ²⁴His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. ²⁵When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. ²⁶The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. ²⁷He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. ²⁸The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. ²⁹Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. ³⁰Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. ³¹He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. ³²He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. ³³Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. ³⁴He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? ²Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. ³Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! ⁴Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. ⁵They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. ⁶And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. ⁷They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. ⁸They said to themselves, We will utterly subdue them; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. ⁹We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. ¹⁰How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? ¹¹Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! ¹²Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. ¹³You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. ¹⁴You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. ¹⁵You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. ¹⁶Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. ¹⁷You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. ¹⁸Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name. ¹⁹Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever. ²⁰Have regard for the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. ²¹Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your name. ²²Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day! ²³Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

¹O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? ²Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. ³Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. ⁴Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. ⁵A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. ⁶But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. ⁷They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. ⁸They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. ⁹We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. ¹⁰O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? ¹¹Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. ¹²For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. ¹³Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. ¹⁴Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. ¹⁵Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers. ¹⁶The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. ¹⁷Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. ¹⁸Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. ¹⁹O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever. ²⁰Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. ²¹O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. ²²Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. ²³Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, ²covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. ³He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; ⁴he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. ⁵He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. ⁶You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. ⁷At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. ⁸The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. ⁹You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. ¹⁰You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; ¹¹they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. ¹²Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. ¹³From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. ¹⁴You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth ¹⁵and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. ¹⁶The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. ¹⁷In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. ¹⁸The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. ¹⁹He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. ²⁰You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. ²¹The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. ²²When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. ²³Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. ²⁴O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. ²⁵Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. ²⁶There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. ²⁷These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. ²⁸When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. ²⁹When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. ³⁰When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. ³¹May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works, ³²who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! ³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. ³⁴May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. ³⁵Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. ²Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: ³Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: ⁴Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: ⁵Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. ⁶Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. ⁷At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. ⁸They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. ⁹Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. ¹⁰He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. ¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. ¹²By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. ¹³He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. ¹⁴He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; ¹⁵And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. ¹⁶The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; ¹⁷Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. ¹⁸The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. ¹⁹He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. ²⁰Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. ²¹The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. ²²The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. ²³Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. ²⁴O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. ²⁵So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. ²⁶There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. ²⁷These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. ²⁸That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. ²⁹Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. ³⁰Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. ³¹The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. ³²He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. ³³I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. ³⁴My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. ³⁵Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. ²In that day, A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! ³I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day; ⁴I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together. ⁵Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me. ⁶In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit. ⁷Has he struck them as he struck those who struck them? Or have they been slain as their slayers were slain? ⁸Measure by measure, by exile you contended with them; he removed them with his fierce breath in the day of the east wind. ⁹Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the stones of the altars like chalkstones crushed to pieces, no Asherim or incense altars will remain standing. ¹⁰For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness; there the calf grazes; there it lies down and strips its branches. ¹¹When its boughs are dry, they are broken; women come and make a fire of them. For this is a people without discernment; therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them; he who formed them will show them no favor. ¹²In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. ¹³And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

¹In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. ²In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. ³I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. ⁴Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. ⁵Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. ⁶He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. ⁷Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? ⁸In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. ⁹By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up. ¹⁰Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof. ¹¹When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour. ¹²And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. ¹³And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

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