Tanniyn in Genesis 1: 21

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Concerning tanniyn, which is the Hebrew for whale in Genesis 1: 21.

What is the LXX translation of tanniyn?

Does the translation of the LXX appear in the N. T. ?

THANKS!!!
 
Jim_Baur said:
Concerning tanniyn, which is the Hebrew for whale in Genesis 1: 21.

What is the LXX translation of tanniyn?

Does the translation of the LXX appear in the N. T. ?

THANKS!!!
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Why oh why do people insist on asking such fascinating questions 😃 ?​

  • Hebrew = behemoth
  • LXX (Rahlfis 1935) = ta kētē ta megala
behemoth = “beasts”, being the plural of behemah. Tannin is in the singular, but it denotes Behemoth; which is one animal, of which the name is plural in linguistic form. So one can translate either:
  • the grammatical form of the name IOW, behemoth, a feminine plural - or
  • the denotation of the name behemoth.
There are various fabulous beasts in the OT:
  • tannin
  • leviathan
  • behemoth
  • se’irim
and others.

As for the NT, ISTM that the First Beast in Rev.13 is one of the above. The Great Red Dragon is tannin in part; Rev.12 echoes Isaiah 27.1, in which God will destroy the serpent in the sea. The NT world of thought draws freely on the OT, so it is more than likely that the fantastic beasts of the OT appear in the NT.

Tannin can mean “dragon”, or “jackal”. Probably it is not one or other, but both: the “mythological” beast being glimpsed “behind” the familiar animal. Meaning in the Bible often works in that way. While this is awkward for the translator, it is very nice for the commentator, who can unfold the significance of the words under discussion, with the result that the thought behind the text commented on can be all the more appreciated.

Tannin words here:
The contexts vary - some are mythological, others political.

A search on leviathan would give similar results.

Hope that helps. The Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906 is very useful:
 
Thanks Gottle

Please write your answer slowly, for I read slowly.

I hope and pray that you forgive my ignorance and inabilities.

I was confused by tannin.

Does the LXX translation appear in Rev. 13?

Is the tannin or tanniyn in Genesis 1: 21 the Red Draggon or Devil?

I guess that is my actual question.

GOG, thanks!
 
Is this correct?

In Ps. 74: 13 tanniyn is translated into the Septuagint as drakon. This drakon then appears in the Apoclypse in 12: 3.

Then tanniyn is the same word as found in Genesis 1: 21.

Please be kind and do not laugh.

I am correct.

THANKS!!!
 
“If Pharaoh demands that you work a sign or wonder, you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will be changed into a snake[Heb לְתַנִּֽין (Tannin), Gk δράκων (drakon)] .”–Exodus 7:9

HOWEVER, this like most translations says “snake,” but this is NOT the ordinary word for snake. Tannin can also theoretically refer to a **crocodile **or **cobra **according to one Hebrew scholar, in addition to a mythical “dragon.”

In Gen 1:21 one translation I read translated the word as “titans” haha.

In Job 7:12 tannin is usually translated as “monster” or “whale” , or even dragon. (Imagine if Aarons staff actually was turned into a whale!)

In other verses the word I’ve seen has been also translated “jackal” or “ostrich”.

In anycase the word tends to suggest a scary, or threatening animal that is generally not liked.

I suppose that is why dragon is used in Rev 12,13,16,20
 
the LXX and Masoretic have different numberings for the Psalms, i assume you mean the Hebrew numbering in the LXX

Psalm 74:13 uses tannim in the PLURAL in Hebrew this corresponds the LXX:

σὺ ἐκραταίωσας ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου τὴν θάλασσαν σὺ συνέτριψας τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν **δρακόντων **ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος

δρακόντων is dragons “shattered the heads of the **dragons **upon the water.”

Both the Hebrew and Greek of Psalm 74:13 say dragons (pl.)

Where as Revelation 12:3 is a dragon (singular) So it does not seem to be the same dragon.

HOWEVER, if you read thenext verse, Psalms 74:14:

Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness.

the word is לִוְיָתָן leviathan (as we would say) in the Hebrew, and the LXX δράκοντος, which is singular dragon.

This seems to better match Revelation 12:3 since the dragon (singular) has heads (plural).

Revelation 12:3 has a δράκων (dragon) with seven κεφαλὰς (heads).
Psalm 74:14 has a δράκοντος (dragon) with κεφαλὰς (heads)

Though it seems with most copies of 74:14 it says “heads”, but there is at least one variant in the LXX that says “thn kefalhn” the head (singular). But the Hebrew uses the plural rashey (rashi) for heads.
 
IT is also interesting to note that Leviathan, or a certain sea monster in general, in Semitic cultures of the time of the OT refer to it as having “seven heads”. In Ugaritic mythology Lothan was a 7 headed serpent. So mostly likely Psalm 74:14 with Leviathan can be linked with the 7 headed dragon of Revelation 12:3.
 
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