The Bible, especially the Old Testament, contains many vivid descriptions of animals, nature, and historical events.

That being the case, a common question many people have is whether or not dinosaurs are mentioned in the bible.

The biblical authors wrote the book based on their experiences, knowledge, and the cultural contexts of their times.

Given that dinosaurs went extinct around 65 million years ago, it’s improbable that the authors had firsthand knowledge of these creatures or even based their descriptions on fossilized remains, as the study of paleontology didn’t emerge until thousands of years later.

However, there are mentions of large, mysterious creatures in the Old Testament that some have interpreted as potential references to dinosaurs.

For example, in the Book of Job, there’s a mention of “behemoth,” described as a massive creature that “moves his tail like a cedar” and has bones “like bars of iron” (Job 40:15-18). Although some argue that this could be a reference to a large dinosaur, like a Brachiosaurus or Apatosaurus, the common argument is that the description is more likely to be describing a hippopotamus or an elephant.

Another creature, the “leviathan,” is mentioned several times in the Old Testament (e.g., Job 41, Psalms 104:26, Isaiah 27:1), which is described as a formidable sea creature with fearsome teeth and impenetrable scales. While some proponents claim this description might fit a marine reptile like the Plesiosaurus, it’s more likely to be a poetic description of a crocodile or some other similar creature.