| General Notes
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History/Background
- In Biblical legend, the Behemoth was a giant land creature. It is described as the most powerful land animal, a primal beast which cannot be defeated by humans (because it can only be killed by its creator, Yahweh) in the Bible, Old Testament, Book of Job 40:15-24:
- Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
- 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].
- Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
- 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.
- He taketh it with his eyes: [his] nose pierceth through snares.
- It is implied to be a mammal and herbivore from its description. It was the counterpart to the Leviathan. In Judaic legend, the Behemoth (having the horns and the strength) and the Leviathan (having the fins and the power) will fight, but both be slain by Yahweh, who will distribute their meat as food along with meat from the Ziz (a gigantic bird) (Behemoth is said to represent the land, Leviathan the sea, and Ziz the air). The Apocryphal Book of Enoch states Behemoth dwells in the Dundayin Desert, east of the Garden of Eden.
- The word behemoth has entered the English language as anything extremely large or powerful. Behemoth is Hebrew for "animals". It is believed the Arabic Bahamut is a translation of Behemoth (though oddly enough, Bahamut is a giant fish and the animal atop him, Kujata, is a giant bull).
- The word is most likely a plural form of בהמה (bəhēmāh ("animal")). It may be an example of pluralis excellentiae, a Hebrew method of expressing greatness by pluralizing a noun; it thus indicates that Behemoth is the largest and most powerful animal.
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