Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. New Living Translation You crushed the heads of Leviathan and let the desert animals eat him. English Standard Version You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Berean Standard Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert. King James Bible Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. New King James Version You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. New American Standard Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. NASB 1995 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. NASB 1977 Thou didst crush the heads of Leviathan; Thou didst give him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Legacy Standard Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You gave him as food for the creatures of the desert. Amplified Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan (Egypt); You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Christian Standard Bible you crushed the heads of Leviathan; you fed him to the creatures of the desert. Holman Christian Standard Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert. American Standard Version Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces; Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. Contemporary English Version You crushed the heads of the monster Leviathan, then fed him to wild creatures in the desert. English Revised Version Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, thou gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. GOD'S WORD® Translation You crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave them to the creatures of the desert for food. Good News Translation you crushed the heads of the monster Leviathan and fed his body to desert animals. International Standard Version You crushed the heads of Leviathan. You set it as food for desert creatures. NET Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you fed him to the people who live along the coast. New Heart English Bible You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures. Webster's Bible Translation Thou didst break the head of leviathan in pieces, and didst give him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleYou crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert. World English Bible You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionYou have broken the heads of leviathan, "" You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers. Young's Literal Translation Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places. Smith's Literal Translation Thou didst break the heads of the sea monster, thou wilt give him for food to the people, to the inhabitants of the desert. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible You crushed the heads of Leviathan, gave him as food to the sharks. New Revised Standard Version You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThou didst break the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and thou gavest him as food to a strong people. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated You broke the heads of Leviathan and you have given food to the mighty people. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness. Brenton Septuagint Translation Thou didst break to pieces the heads of the dragon; thou didst give him for meat to the Ethiopian nations. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?…13You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea; 14You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert. 15You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.… Cross References Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea. Job 41:1 “Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope? Ezekiel 29:3 Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’ Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon? Job 3:8 May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan. Revelation 13:1 Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. Revelation 17:3 And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:9-14 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. / There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. But when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. / The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. ... Revelation 19:20 But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Exodus 7:12 Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs. Numbers 21:6 So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. Treasury of Scripture You brake the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. leviathan Psalm 104:25,26 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts… Job 3:8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning. Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? meat Psalm 72:9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. Exodus 12:35,36 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: … Exodus 14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. Jump to Previous Brakest Break Broke Broken Creatures Crush Crushed Desert Dry Fishes Folk Food Gavest Great Head Heads Inhabiting Leviathan Makest Meat Pieces Places Sea Snake WildernessJump to Next Brakest Break Broke Broken Creatures Crush Crushed Desert Dry Fishes Folk Food Gavest Great Head Heads Inhabiting Leviathan Makest Meat Pieces Places Sea Snake WildernessPsalm 74 1. The prophet complains of the desolation of the sanctuary10. He moves God to help in consideration of his power 18. Of his reproachful enemies, or his children and of his covenant. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; This phrase refers to God's power and sovereignty over chaos and evil, symbolized by Leviathan, a mythical sea creature often depicted as a multi-headed monster. In ancient Near Eastern mythology, Leviathan represents chaos and opposition to divine order. The imagery of crushing its heads signifies a decisive victory over chaos and evil forces. This act of God is reminiscent of His deliverance of Israel from Egypt, where He demonstrated His power over the chaotic waters of the Red Sea. The crushing of Leviathan's heads can also be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate victory over Satan and evil, as described in Revelation 12:9, where the dragon, another symbol of chaos and evil, is defeated. You fed him to the creatures of the desert. Persons / Places / Events 1. LeviathanA mythical sea creature often symbolizing chaos and opposition to God. In the context of Psalm 74, Leviathan represents the forces of evil and chaos that God has power over. 2. The Creatures of the Desert These are the beings or animals that God provided for by feeding them with the defeated Leviathan. This imagery emphasizes God's provision and sovereignty over creation. 3. The Psalmist The author of Psalm 74, traditionally attributed to Asaph, who is lamenting the destruction of the temple and calling upon God to remember His covenant and deliver His people. 4. The Exodus While not directly mentioned in this verse, the imagery of God defeating a great sea creature can be connected to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, where God demonstrated His power over the chaotic waters of the Red Sea. 5. The Babylonian Exile The historical context of Psalm 74, where the destruction of the temple and the exile of the Israelites serve as a backdrop for the psalmist's plea for divine intervention. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty Over ChaosThe imagery of God crushing Leviathan's heads illustrates His ultimate authority over chaos and evil. Believers can trust in God's power to bring order and peace in their lives. Provision in Unexpected Ways Feeding the creatures of the desert with Leviathan highlights God's provision. Even in desolate places, God provides for His creation, reminding us to trust in His provision in our own deserts. Hope Amidst Destruction The psalmist's lament amidst the destruction of the temple encourages believers to hold onto hope and faith in God's deliverance, even when circumstances seem dire. God's Faithfulness to His Covenant The plea for God to remember His covenant underscores His faithfulness. Believers are reminded of God's unchanging promises and His commitment to His people. Victory Over Evil The defeat of Leviathan symbolizes God's ultimate victory over evil. Christians are encouraged to live in the assurance of Christ's victory over sin and death. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 74In Psalm 74:14, does the mention of crushing Leviathan’s heads reflect borrowed ancient mythological concepts, and how does this align with modern scientific views of sea creatures? What does the term "leviathan" mean? If Leviathan is a metaphorical creature, why does Job 41 depict it with such realistic physical traits and capabilities? How can Isaiah 27:1 be reconciled with scientific knowledge in describing Leviathan as a literal sea monster? (14) Leviathan.--See last note. And gavest him . . .--The crocodile was eaten by the people of Elephantine (Herod. ii. 69), but there is no allusion here to that custom, nor to the Ichthyophagi mentioned by Agatharchides, nor to the 'thiopians (as in the LXX.). It is the Egyptian corpses thrown up by the Red Sea that are to be devoured (comp. Ezekiel 29:3-5) by the "wild beasts," called here "people," as the ants and conies are (Proverbs 30:25-26). Verse 14. - Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces. Here the metaphor is only slightly varied, leviathan, "the crocodile," being substituted for tannim, "the dragon," or "sea monster," as the representative of the might of Egypt. And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. The corpses of the Egyptians thrown up upon the Red Sea shores (Exodus 14:30) are certainly the "meat" intended. Whether the "people of dwellers in the wilderness" are cannibal tribes, or jackals and hyenas, is perhaps doubtful.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Youאַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh) Pronoun - second person masculine singular Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you crushed רִ֭צַּצְתָּ (riṣ·ṣaṣ·tā) Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 7533: To crack in pieces the heads רָאשֵׁ֣י (rā·šê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 7218: The head of Leviathan; לִוְיָתָ֑ן (liw·yā·ṯān) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3882: A wreathed animal, a serpent, dragon, Babylon You fed him תִּתְּנֶ֥נּוּ (tit·tə·nen·nū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 5414: To give, put, set to the creatures לְעָ֣ם (lə·‘ām) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock of the desert. לְצִיִּֽים׃ (lə·ṣî·yîm) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 6728: Wild beast of the desert, that dwell in inhabiting the wilderness Links Psalm 74:14 NIVPsalm 74:14 NLT Psalm 74:14 ESV Psalm 74:14 NASB Psalm 74:14 KJV Psalm 74:14 BibleApps.com Psalm 74:14 Biblia Paralela Psalm 74:14 Chinese Bible Psalm 74:14 French Bible Psalm 74:14 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 74:14 You broke the heads of Leviathan (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
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