This is a story about the unicorn in the bible. I was listening to a radio talk show one day and the host Bob Durgin had on an atheist. The atheist was taunting Durgin about the silliness of having a unicorn in the bible. To begin with there are many agnostics but not many atheists. Days later on the morning talk show, host RJ Harris had received a call about the unicorn in the bible. The radio station is not a Christian radio station but Durgin and Harris make no apologies for being Christians.
First of all Bob Durgin deserves an award for his patience. I think the atheists name was something like Silverberg or something like that. He voiced his dislike for Christians and confirmed his dislike for Jews. I honestly thought Durgin should have called 911 for the guy. He was actually hyper. He brought up the fact Christians believe in unicorns. Obviously real Jews would also believe in what was called a unicorn in the bible ssince it came from the Old Testament.
Is there actually the mention of a unicorn in the bible? The answer is absolutely yes. Unicorn is mentioned in the King James version and the 21st Century King James version. The NIV bible and New American Standard version translates this as wild ox.
The following are examples from the King James Bible:
Deuteronomy 33:17 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
Isaiah 34:7 And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
Numbers 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
Numbers 24:8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
In the New American Standard and NIV bibles they used the words wild ox instead of unicorn. Certainly by reading the above nmentioned bible verses you see the unicorn in the bible was very strong. Obviously the atheist forgot to do his research or maybe he didn't want us to research.
The first thing I did was find the word in Hebrew. The word in Hebrew used for this animal is ‘re’em.’ It could be interpreted as wild bull or unicorn.
The animal was described in Mesopotamian Art as a fierce animal with one horn. In Greece Aristotle mentioned a one-horned animal. Another Greek Ctesias described an animal, “wild asses, fleet of foot, having on the forehead a horn a cubit and a half in length.” He also mentioned they came in red, black and white.
A famous Roman writer named Pliny wrote in the ‘Elder’s Natural History ’about an Indian ‘ass, “a very ferocious beast, similar in the rest of its body to a horse, with the head of a deer, the feet of an elephant, the tail of a boar, a deep bellowing voice, and a single black horn, two cubits in length standing out in the middle of its forehead. It cannot be taken alive. The previous mentioned Ctesias also mentioned a one-horned horse in India. It is mentioned that was seen in India could possibly be a rhinoceros.
As you can clearly see the magical unicorn you see today is nothing like the unicorn in the bible. It sounds like an animal you would not want to run into. It is certainly not what you think of as a unicorn. It could have been a one horned wild ox that has went extinct.
I would like to acknowledge a website all about unicorns at www.allaboutunicorns.com. I used much of their valuable information to write this article. I would also like to acknowledge this fine radio talk show host Bob Durgin.
Read more articles by George Charles or search for articles on the same topic or others.
Great article with valuable information that Christians nee to know about so they can defend their faith. I have seen many atheists parade out the Unicorn and laugh. I knew about this but I am really glad you published it for more to see.
Thanks and God Bless, Mike
