3882. Livyathan

Lexicon

Livyathan: Leviathan

Original Word: לִוְיָתָן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: livyathan
Pronunciation: li-vee-yah-tahn
Phonetic Spelling: (liv-yaw-thawn')
Definition: Leviathan
Meaning: a wreathed animal, a serpent, dragon, Babylon

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

leviathan, mourning

From lavah; 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.

see HEBREW lavah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as livyah
Definition
"serpent," a sea monster or dragon
NASB Translation
Leviathan (6).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

לִוְיָתָן noun masculine^{Job 40:25} serpent, dragon, leviathan, in poetry and rare (on formation from לוה with feminine ת+ ןָ֯ see Thes and compare Ges^{§ 85}, 54 Kö^{ii, p. 99} Ba^{NB § 207c}; Lag^{BN 205} thinks foreign loan-word); — sea-monster = crocodile Job 40:25; whale Psalm 104:25 (see Che); dragon producing eclipses (mythological) Job 3:8; figurative of Egypt as all-engulfing Psalm 74:14 ("" תַּנִּינִים Psalm 74:13); compare Isaiah 27:1 (twice in verse) ("" נָחָשׁ בָּרִחַ, נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֺן), see Che Di and especially (on ׳ל in General) Barton^{Tiamat, JAOS xv (1891), 22 ff.} Gunk^{Schöpf. u. Chaos 46}.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root לוה (lavah), meaning "to twist" or "to join."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1404: Δράκων (Drakōn) • Dragon, a large serpent or mythical monster, often used in apocalyptic literature.
• G2785: Κῆτος (Kētos) • A sea monster or large fish, used in the context of Jonah's story.
• G3173: Μέγας (Megas) • Great, large, often used to describe something of significant size or power, which can be metaphorically linked to the concept of Leviathan as a great and powerful entity.

Usage: The term לִוְיָתָן (Leviathan) is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe a formidable sea creature, often depicted as a dragon or serpent. It symbolizes chaos and is sometimes used metaphorically to represent powerful adversaries or nations, such as Babylon.

Context: לִוְיָתָן (Leviathan) appears in several key passages within the Hebrew Bible, each contributing to its rich symbolic meaning. In Job 41, Leviathan is described in detail as a powerful and untamable creature, emphasizing God's sovereignty over even the most formidable forces of nature. The passage highlights Leviathan's strength and invincibility, serving as a metaphor for the challenges and adversities that humans face, which are ultimately under God's control.

In Psalm 74:14, Leviathan is depicted as a multi-headed sea monster defeated by God, symbolizing God's victory over chaos and evil. This imagery is echoed in Isaiah 27:1, where Leviathan is portrayed as a serpent that God will punish, representing the ultimate triumph of divine order over chaos.

The association of Leviathan with Babylon arises from its symbolic representation of oppressive and chaotic forces. In the prophetic literature, Babylon often embodies the archetype of a powerful and corrupt empire opposing God's people, and Leviathan serves as a fitting metaphor for such an entity.

The imagery of Leviathan has also influenced later Jewish and Christian eschatological thought, where it is sometimes associated with end-times scenarios and the final defeat of evil.

Forms and Transliterations

לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן לִוְיָתָ֑ן לִוְיָתָ֔ן לִוְיָתָ֣ן לִוְיָתָֽן׃ לִוְיָתָן֙ לויתן לויתן׃ livyaTan liw·yā·ṯān liwyāṯān

Englishman's Concordance

Job 3:8
HEB: הָ֝עֲתִידִ֗ים עֹרֵ֥ר לִוְיָתָֽן׃
NAS: Who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.
KJV: to raise up their mourning.
INT: are prepared to rouse Leviathan

Job 41:1
HEB: תִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ לִוְיָתָ֣ן בְּחַכָּ֑ה וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶל
NAS: Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook?
KJV: Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?
INT: draw Leviathan angle A cord

Psalm 74:14
HEB: רִ֭צַּצְתָּ רָאשֵׁ֣י לִוְיָתָ֑ן תִּתְּנֶ֥נּוּ מַ֝אֲכָ֗ל
NAS: the heads of Leviathan; You gave
KJV: the heads of leviathan in pieces, [and] gavest
INT: crushed the heads of Leviathan gave food

Psalm 104:26
HEB: אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־ יָצַ֥רְתָּ
NAS: move along, [And] Leviathan, which
KJV: the ships: [there is] that leviathan, [whom] thou hast made
INT: the ships move along Leviathan which made

Isaiah 27:1
HEB: וְהַֽחֲזָקָ֗ה עַ֤ל לִוְיָתָן֙ נָחָ֣שׁ בָּרִ֔חַ
NAS: will punish Leviathan the fleeing
KJV: shall punish leviathan the piercing
INT: and mighty Even Leviathan serpent the fleeing

Isaiah 27:1
HEB: בָּרִ֔חַ וְעַל֙ לִוְיָתָ֔ן נָחָ֖שׁ עֲקַלָּת֑וֹן
NAS: Even Leviathan the twisted
KJV: serpent, even leviathan that crooked
INT: the fleeing Even Leviathan serpent the twisted

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3882
6 Occurrences

liw·yā·ṯān — 6 Occ.