Yes, there are dinosaurs in the Bible! However, the Bible does not refer to them with the word “dinosaur.”
The word “dinosaur” means “terrible lizard,” and the fossil record reveals many different species of these ginormous reptiles. Broadly speaking, the word “dinosaur” can be loosely applied to any now-extinct animal.
Some of these reptiles, which once roamed planet Earth, were flesh-eating carnivores, while others, despite their immense bulk, were strict vegetarians, consuming large amounts of plant material.
While the Bible does not go into detail about all of the extinct animal life, it does have a passing mention to a creature that perfectly fits the common description of this terrible, giant lizard.
Timeline of Dinosaurs in the Bible
The timeline of dinosaurs in the Bible goes like this:
- God created dinosaurs during the week of creation.
- Dinosaurs lived with humans in the Garden of Eden
- Dinosaurs were on Noah’s ark.
- Dinosaurs left the ark and multiplied.
- Dinosaurs were alive in the time of Job.
- Sometime after the Book of Job was written and the present, dinosaurs became extinct.
After God created dinosaurs, Adam named them.
Genesis 2:19 “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” (KJV)
Most likely, Adam did not define these huge reptiles as dinosaurs. And if you are wondering if the Garden of Eden was like a scene out of Jurassic Park, the answer is no. All of the animals at creation were vegetarians as explained by Genesis 1:30.
“And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.” (KJV)
Everyone and everything in the Garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, ate only plants, not other animals, or man.
Since dinosaurs are now extinct, the question arises, were there a pair of dinosaurs on Noah’s ark, or did they “miss the boat?” And if they did get into the ark, how could these huge animals fit?
God told Noah in Genesis 6:19 “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.” (KJV)
The words “every living thing” repeated by the phrase “of all flesh” includes, rather than excludes, dinosaurs. But what is not specified was exactly how old the animals on Noah’s ark would have been. It would have been easier — not to mention space saving — for Noah to bring a male and female recently hatched pair of dinosaurs into the ark, rather than their full-grown parents.
After the flood, these two dino babies would have left the ark with all of the other animals, and obeyed God’s command to “reproduce and multiply,” thus bringing more dinosaurs into the world.
The most interesting description of a creature in the Bible that fits the description of a dinosaur is recorded in Job chapter 40, with the words spoken by God Himself, the Creator of dinosaurs. The Book of Job was written some time after Noah’s flood, with some Bible scholars agreeing that it is possibly the oldest book of the Bible.
At that particular time in history, both dinosaurs and men co-habited the world. In describing this great creature, the King James Version of the Bible uses the word “behemoth.” Was this the name that Adam gave to this creature?
The Biblical description found in Job chapter 40 reveals a creature that fits the scientific classification of a species of dinosaur called the “sauropod.” The ancient species of sauropods represents today’s stereotypical dinosaur.
According to paleontologists (dinosaur scientists), sauropods had a very long neck, a long, powerful tail, a small head, and four pillar-like legs. They were perhaps the largest land animals to ever walk on planet Earth. Despite their imposing size and bulk, these ancient giants ate only plants.
The description that God gives of behemoth fits the description of a sauropod. Follow along as we hear God’s description of behemoth in Job chapter 40, using the King James Version of the Bible:
- “His strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly” (verse 16). This creature must have had powerful muscles in his hips and back, which needed support from strong legs.
- “He moveth his tail like a cedar” (verse 17). Cedar trees are characterized by their great height. The tail of behemoth was long and powerful.
- The gender of this particular creature was a male, the word “stones” in verse 17, is a reference to his testicles. Since this was a male behemoth, there also must have been a female version.
- “Bones as strong pieces of brass” (verse 18). God was comparing this creature’s strong bones to the strength of brass. This animal needed strong bones to support such a great bulk.
- “His bones are like bars of iron” (verse 18). This is another mention specifically about his strong bones. This reference seems to indicate his rib cage.
- “The chief in the ways of God” (verse 19). This beast was both mighty, and possibly, very intelligent.
- “He that made him can make his sword to approach unto him” (verse 19). Such a large creature would be difficult, if not impossible, for a human to destroy, but God, his maker could.
- “The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about” (verse 22). He preferred to live in the shade by a water source.
Other Verses About Dinosaurs In the Bible
Since both science and the Bible refer to dinosaurs, it is only logical to realize God created them. Even if the Bible never mentioned any creature that resembled a dinosaur, just observing the fossil record would be enough to prove they did exist.
Christianity explains the presence of dinosaurs, including them with all of the other animals that God created during the six days of creation.
Exodus 20:11
“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day” (KJV)
This comprehensive verse tells that God created all creatures, even those that are now extinct, including dinosaurs.
Even “dinosaur” fish and birds that scientists know once existed, are explained in the account of the fifth day of creation.
Genesis 1:20-21
“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (KJV)
The most common type of dinosaur, the enormous land dwellers, were created on the sixth day of creation.
Genesis 1:24
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.” (KJV)
God, in His wisdom, knowing that humans are inquisitive beings, made sure that both the fossil record, and more importantly, His Word, included facts about these ancient, mysterious, intriguing, but now extinct beasts, so He made sure to include dinosaurs in the Bible for us to learn about today.
The most common type of dinosaur, the enormous land dwellers, were created on the 6th day of creation:
Genesis 1:24
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.” (KJV)
God, in His wisdom, knowing that humans are inquisitive beings, made sure that both the fossil record and even more importantly His Word, included facts about these ancient, mysterious, but now extinct, intriguing beasts, so He made sure to include dinosaurs in the Bible for us to learn about today.
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