Quick Summary
The word "dinosaur" does not appear in the Bible, as the term was coined in the 19th century. However, the book of Job describes massive creatures like Behemoth (Job 40), which is said to have a tail "like a cedar," and Leviathan (Job 41). Some Christians (Young Earth view) interpret these as descriptions of dinosaurs that coexisted with humans, while others (Old Earth view) see them as poetic depictions of known animals like the hippopotamus or crocodile, or as symbolic imagery.
The question of whether dinosaurs appear in the Bible is part of a broader discussion about how Scripture should be interpreted, especially in relation to the age of the earth and the early chapters of Genesis. The issue is not simply whether the word “dinosaur” can be found in the biblical text.
It cannot, since the term itself was coined in the nineteenth century. Rather, the real question is whether the Bible describes creatures that could reasonably correspond to what we now call dinosaurs, and how those descriptions should be understood within different interpretive frameworks.
Christians generally approach this topic from two main perspectives. One emphasizes an ancient age of the earth, while the other holds to a relatively young earth. Each position brings different assumptions to the biblical text and to the interpretation of physical evidence.
Those who affirm an old earth typically maintain that dinosaurs lived and became extinct millions of years before human beings appeared. From this viewpoint, the Bible does not mention dinosaurs because the biblical authors never encountered them.
Scripture is seen as addressing theological and spiritual truths rather than offering a catalog of prehistoric life. Any references to dragons, sea monsters, or great beasts are understood as poetic, symbolic, or referring to known animals described in dramatic language.
Those who affirm a young earth argue that humans and dinosaurs coexisted in the past and that the Bible does, in fact, refer to such creatures using different terminology. Since the Hebrew language did not possess a modern scientific vocabulary, it employed descriptive words for large, powerful, and unusual animals. Three terms are especially significant in this discussion: tanniyn, leviathan, and behemoth.
The Hebrew word tanniyn appears nearly thirty times in the Old Testament and is translated in various ways, including “sea monster,” “serpent,” and “dragon.” It is used for creatures associated with both land and sea, often emphasizing their size, strength, and fearsome nature.
Passages such as Psalm 74:13, Isaiah 27:1, and Jeremiah 51:34 use this term to describe powerful beings that inspire awe or terror. While tanniyn does not automatically refer to dinosaurs, its broad and flexible meaning leaves room for the possibility that it could describe large reptilian creatures unfamiliar to modern categories.
Another important term is leviathan, which occurs in several passages, most notably in Job 41 and Psalm 104:26. Leviathan is portrayed as a massive and untamable sea creature, immune to ordinary weapons and unmatched in power. Job 41:33 states, “Nothing on earth is its equal.”
The description is highly vivid and emphasizes strength, invincibility, and majesty. Some understand Leviathan as a crocodile described in poetic exaggeration, while others believe the language surpasses anything that can reasonably be applied to known animals, suggesting a creature of extraordinary size and power.
The most detailed and intriguing description is found in the account of the behemoth in Job 40:15–24. Behemoth is called “the first of the works of God” or “a prime example of God’s handiwork” (Job 40:19). It is described as a massive, plant-eating land animal that dwells near water. Its bones are compared to bronze, its limbs to iron, and its strength is said to be unparalleled. Most striking is the statement that “its tail sways like a cedar” (Job 40:17).
This detail is significant because common candidates such as the hippopotamus or elephant have relatively small and thin tails that hardly resemble a cedar tree. By contrast, many large dinosaurs, particularly sauropods such as Apatosaurus or Brachiosaurus, possessed long, powerful tails that could plausibly fit such a description.
For those who support a young-earth interpretation, Behemoth provides the strongest biblical case for the presence of dinosaur-like creatures in Scripture. The text reads as a straightforward description of a real animal known to Job, not as a purely mythical or symbolic being. If Job was familiar with Behemoth, then such creatures must have existed in historical times.
Beyond the biblical text, advocates of human and dinosaur coexistence often point to cultural and historical evidence. Many ancient civilizations left behind artwork depicting large reptilian creatures. Rock carvings, petroglyphs, pottery, and mosaics from various regions show animals that resemble modern reconstructions of dinosaurs.
In addition, historical accounts such as Marco Polo’s description of “huge serpents” in China describe creatures of great size and terrifying appearance. Polo wrote of animals with large jaws, sharp teeth, clawed limbs, and a fearsome presence, details that some believe correspond more closely to large reptiles than to known animals.
It is important, however, to treat this evidence with caution. Such depictions and descriptions are not definitive proof that dinosaurs and humans lived together. Artistic representations may be symbolic or exaggerated, and historical accounts may involve misunderstandings or rare encounters with unusual animals. Nevertheless, they do demonstrate that stories and images of enormous reptilian creatures are widespread and deeply rooted in human history.
The Bible itself does not explain what happened to these creatures if they once coexisted with humans. Some propose that dinosaurs perished in large numbers during the Flood described in Genesis, and that the few survivors later died out due to environmental changes, limited genetic diversity, and human hunting. This remains speculative, as Scripture does not address the extinction of such creatures directly.
In the end, the question of dinosaurs in the Bible is less about discovering a hidden scientific reference and more about how one reads the biblical text. If Genesis is understood in a strictly literal and chronological sense, then it is reasonable to conclude that humans and dinosaurs may have lived at the same time, and that Behemoth, Leviathan, and tanniyn could refer to such creatures.
If Genesis is interpreted within a framework that allows for long ages and symbolic language, then dinosaurs belong to a prehistoric era that predates humanity, and the biblical descriptions are poetic or metaphorical.
What is crucial is that neither position undermines the authority of Scripture or the core doctrines of the Christian faith. The existence or nonexistence of dinosaurs in biblical times does not affect the message of salvation, the reality of creation by God, or the truth of Christ’s redemptive work. This issue belongs to the realm of interpretation rather than essential doctrine.
Thus, when the biblical data are considered carefully, the Bible can be seen as compatible with different understandings of prehistoric life. It does not speak in the language of modern science, yet it leaves room for awe at the vastness and diversity of God’s creation. Whether one sees dinosaurs as creatures of the distant past or as beings that once walked alongside humanity, they remain powerful reminders of the creativity and majesty of the Creator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scholarly examination of the primary theological, historical, and biblical inquiries addressed in this guide.
Why is the morphological description of the "Behemoth" in Job 40:15–24 difficult to reconcile with a hippopotamus or elephant?
In Job 40:17, God highlights a specific anatomical feature of the Behemoth: "He makes his tail stiff like a cedar" (yachpotz zenavo k'mo erez). Traditional commentators have attempted to identify Behemoth with an elephant or hippopotamus; however, the tail of a hippopotamus or elephant is a small, rope-like appendage of negligible size, bearing no resemblance to the massive, majestic cedars of Lebanon (famed in the ancient world for their enormous trunk size, height, and strength). Young-Earth creationist scholars argue that this description corresponds far more naturally to the immense muscular tail of large sauropod dinosaurs (such as Brachiosaurus or Apatosaurus), while literary-historical interpreters view Behemoth as a hyperbolic, poetic depiction of primal untamable animal strength.
