In biblical literature, the term "dragon" is often used to describe a large, fearsome creature, sometimes associated with chaos and evil. The imagery of dragons appears in various books of the Bible, symbolizing different aspects of spiritual and physical realities.

Old Testament References

The Hebrew word "tannin" is frequently translated as "dragon" in the Old Testament. This term can refer to sea monsters, serpents, or other large creatures. In Genesis 1:21 , God creates the great sea creatures, which some translations render as "dragons": "So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed, according to their kinds, and every bird of flight after its kind. And God saw that it was good."

In the poetic and prophetic books, dragons often symbolize chaos and opposition to God. In Isaiah 27:1 , the dragon is depicted as a sea monster that God will defeat: "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."

The book of Job also references a creature known as Leviathan, which is often associated with dragon-like characteristics. Job 41 provides a detailed description of this formidable creature, emphasizing its strength and invincibility.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the imagery of the dragon is most prominently featured in the book of Revelation. The dragon is depicted as a symbol of Satan and his opposition to God and His people. Revelation 12:3-4 describes a great red dragon: "Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth."

The dragon's role as an adversary is further elaborated in 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."

Symbolism and Interpretation

In biblical symbolism, dragons often represent chaos, evil, and opposition to God's order. They are used to depict the forces that stand against God's people and His divine plan. The imagery of dragons in the Bible serves to illustrate the spiritual battle between good and evil, highlighting God's ultimate victory over chaos and sin.

The use of dragon imagery in the Bible reflects the ancient Near Eastern context, where such creatures were often seen as embodiments of chaos and disorder. The biblical narrative, however, consistently portrays God as sovereign over these forces, demonstrating His power and authority over all creation.5886. En Tannim -- "spring of dragons," a place near Jer.
... NASB Word Usage Dragon's Well (1). dragon well. From ayin and the plural of tan;
fountain of jackals; En-Tannim, a pool near Jerusalem -- dragon well. ...
/hebrew/5886.htm - 6k

The Death of Saint George.
... whose erudite work this history is drawn, informs us, to "a doleful report"how,
upon Dunmore Heath, there raged up and down an infectious dragon, that so ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter twenty one the death.htm

Religious and Social State.
... Part IV. THE HISTORY OF BEL AND THE DRAGON RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL STATE. RELIGIOUS. ...
See, however, Blakesley's note on Herodot. VIII.41. (b) Dragon-worship. ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/religious and social state 3.htm

Light at Evening Time
... Satan thought mayhap the world should lie for ever beneath the darkness
of his dragon wing. But lo! at evening time it was light. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/light at evening time.htm

The Adventures of Saint George of England.
... None was so prosperous, none so flourishing, when a most horrible misfortune befell
the land, in the appearance of a terrific green dragon, of huge proportions ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter three the adventures of.htm

From the Twelfth Chapter.
... 3. "And there appeared another sign in heaven; and behold a red dragon, having seven
heads."] Now, that he says that this dragon was of a red colour"that is ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the twelfth chapter.htm

Greek and Jew
... Thickly scattered like fallen patches of skies the pools of Siloam, Gihon, Shiloh,
En-Rogel, the Great Pool, the Serpent's Pool and the Dragon's Well reflected ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter viii greek and jew.htm

Antichrist.
... Christ. Antichrist is the "man of sin," the "son of perdition;" a beast
that hath two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxiii antichrist.htm

Canonicity.
... Part IV. THE HISTORY OF BEL AND THE DRAGON CANONICITY. What is said as
to Susanna on this point holds almost entirely good here. ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/canonicity 3.htm

Ridicule of the Heathen Divinities.
... Rhea becomes a tree; Zeus a dragon, on account of Persephone; the sisters of Pha?�thon
are changed into poplars, and Leto into a bird of little value, on whose ...
/.../tatian/tatians address to the greeks/chapter x ridicule of the heathen.htm

of the Woman driven into the Wilderness.
... The times of the beast and of the woman residing in the wilderness, begin from one
and the same point; namely, from the red dragon's being conquered, and cast ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism i of the.htm

Dragon's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Dragon's (1 Occurrence). Nehemiah 2:13 And I
went out by night, through the doorway of the valley, and ...
/d/dragon's.htm - 6k

Dragons (17 Occurrences)

/d/dragons.htm - 11k

Viewing (6 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 And I went out by night, through the doorway of the valley, and past
the dragon's water-spring as far as the place where waste material was put ...
/v/viewing.htm - 8k

Water-spring (16 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 And I went out by night, through the doorway of the valley, and past
the dragon's water-spring as far as the place where waste material was put ...
/w/water-spring.htm - 11k

Dragon-well (1 Occurrence)
Dragon-well. Dragon's, Dragon-well. Drags . Multi-Version
Concordance Dragon-well (1 Occurrence). Nehemiah 2:13 And ...
/d/dragon-well.htm - 6k

Doorways (26 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 2:13 And I went out by night, through the doorway of the valley, and past
the dragon's water-spring as far as the place where waste material was put ...
/d/doorways.htm - 14k

Dionysus
... O Bacchus that dwellest in Thebes, On whose broad and fertile glebes Fierce warriors
from the dragon's teeth rose, Where Ismenus softly flows, The city that ...
/d/dionysus.htm - 9k

Bacchus
... O Bacchus that dwellest in Thebes, On whose broad and fertile glebes Fierce warriors
from the dragon's teeth rose, Where Ismenus softly flows, The city that ...
/b/bacchus.htm - 12k

Dragon (20 Occurrences)
... 29:3. In the New Testament the word "dragon" is found only in Revelation 12:3, 4,
7, 9, 16, 17, etc., and is there used metaphorically of "Satan." (see WHALE.). ...
/d/dragon.htm - 56k

Bel (3 Occurrences)
... See BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA, RELIGION OF. BEL, AND THE DRAGON. bel, bal, drag ...
INTRODUCTORY II. NAME OF BEL AND THE DRAGON III. CONTENTS ...
/b/bel.htm - 39k

What are the Christian themes in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader? | GotQuestions.org

What is the cause of all the anti-Semitism in the world? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus