Evangelion

GD -

Allow me to point out:

• It wasn't a Christian who raised the word "dragon" in the first place.
  
• Christians were invited to explain (a) the presence of the word "dragon" in the Bible, and (b) the meaning of the reference itself.

So to answer your question:

• We're not quibbling.
  
• We were asked to address the word "dragon" by somebody who wanted an answer, and we have subsequently explained that word to the satisfaction of everybody.

Allow me to point out:

• This is "behemoth", not "dragon."
  
• This is a hippopotamus (as demonstrated in earlier posts.)
  
• The references to "burning torches" and "fire", etc. are stylistic, and not to be taken literally.
  
• This use of language finds a direct parallel in classical literature, which uses the exact same language to describe not only the exact same animal to which Job 41 refers, but another animal which is known to be a non-firebreather; to whit, the horse.

Observe:

• Ovid, in reference to war-horses:
  
  Soon as the father saw the rosy morn,
  And the moon shining with a blunter horn,
  He bid the nimble Hours, without delay,
  Bring forth the steeds; the nimble Hours obey:
  From their full racks the gen'rous steeds retire,
  Dropping ambrosial foams, and snorting fire.
  Metamorphoses.
  
  
• Achilles Tatius, in reference to the hippopotamus:
  
  With open nostrils, and breathing smoke like fire as from a fountain of fire.
  Leukippe and Kleitophon. (I think.)

Albert Barnes' commentary (Notes on the Bible) references both of these sources, and throws in Eustathius for good measure.

Thus:

• And in Eustathius it is said, �They have an open nostril, breathing forth smoke like fire from a furnace � - πυρώδη καπνόν, ως εκ καμίνου πνέοντα purōdē kapnon, hōs ek kaminou pneonta. See Bochart.

Gooch's dad

Evangelion,

My apologies, I did screw up on the dragon/behemoth bit. And the fact that 'my side' brought up dragons first.

I should have directly addressed my post to Magus, who seems to see that Job reference as direct evidence for dinosaurs.

Regards,

-Kelly

Evangelion

No worries, mate.

I've since edited my post and removed the sarky bits.

Evangelion

Oh yeah - and I added a smiley, too!

Slex

Behemoth, really? In Russian it's "begemot" - it is so strange that they adopted this word from Hebrew.

mark9950

When you dig you find things