Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Psalm 74:14

Psalm 74:14

Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

a. NLT: You crushed the heads of Leviathan and let the desert animals eat him.

b. NIV: It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places.

d. Septuagint: Thou didst break to pieces the heads of the dragon; thou didst give him for meat to the Ethiopian nations.

e. Amplified Bible: You crushed the heads of Leviathan (Egypt); You did give him as food for the creatures inhabiting the wilderness.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: You crushed the head of Leviathan; You will serve him as food to the people destined for the desolate wilderness.

1. “Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces…”

a. brakest [7533 * ratsats][Strong: a primitive root; to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively:--break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together.]

b. heads [7218 * ro’sh][Strong: from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.]

c. leviathan [3882 * livyathan][Strong: from 3867; a wreathed animal, i.e. a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large sea- monster); figuratively, the constellation of the dragon; also as a symbol of Bab.:--leviathan, mourning.][Condensed Brown-Driver- Briggs Hebrew Lexicon: leviathan, sea monster, dragon, large aquatic animal, perhaps the extinct dinosaur, plesiosaurus, exact meaning unknown.]

1). The following note is found in the Condensed Brown-Driver- Briggs Hebrew Lexicon: Some think this to be a crocodile but from the description in Job 41:1-34 this is patently absurd. It appears to be a large fire breathing animal of some sort. Just as the bomardier beetle has an explosion producing mechanism, so the great sea dragon may have an explosive producing mechanism to enable it to be a real fire breathing dragon.

2). This same Hebrew word is used in the following examples’

a). Job 3:8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning. (The English word “mourning” is the Hebrew “livyathan”).

b). Isaiah 27:1 In 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.

c). Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

d). Psalm 104:26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

2. “…and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.”

a. gavest [5414 * Nathan][Strong: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

b. meat [3978 * ma’akal][Strong: from 398; an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and fruit):--food, fruit, ((bake-)) meat(-s), victual.]

c. people [5971 * ‘am][Strong: from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation, people.]

d. inhabiting the wilderness [6728 * tsiyiy][Strong: a desert-dweller, i.e. nomad or wild beast:--wild beast of the desert, that dwell in (inhabiting) the wilderness.]

1). The “people” mentioned here could refer to the fish and other marine creatures whose habitats were overwhelmed in the Flood, but that were not preserved on the ark (which contained only land animals). The Hebrew word normally refers to human tribes, but can also be used for animal flocks (e.g., Proverbs 30:25). The carcasses of the mighty leviathans could have provided sustenance to sustain marine life through the cataclysm. http://www.icr.org/bible/Psalm/74/14/

2). I personally believe these “people” were humans who just fed off the sea, including the leviathans who they also hunted. Though the Hebrew word for leviathan probably means a number of different large marine animals. The fact that the one particular leviathan from Job 41, which was a large fire breathing marine creature existed in Job’s day is astounding. Job 41:6, “Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?” may cast doubt on including this particular leviathan in with the other large marine animals hunted for food.

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