Within the Christian community, there is a larger continuing argument over the age of the planet, which concerns the right interpretation of Genesis, and how to understand the physical evidence that we see all around us. The question of dinosaurs in the Bible is part of that dispute. Because, according to their worldview, dinosaurs went out millions of years ago, long before the first man ever walked the earth, those who believe in an earlier age for the earth tend to agree that the Bible does not mention dinosaurs. Many assume that people who were not able to witness living dinosaurs wrote the Bible.

The Holy Scriptures mention dinosaurs, although the term “dinosaur” the author never used in the Bible. Those who believe the world is younger in age tend to agree that the Bible does mention dinosaurs, while the word “dinosaur” is never used. As an alternative, it makes use of the Hebrew word TANNIYN, which is rendered in a variety of ways in our English-language Bibles. Sometimes it is referred to as a “sea monster,” and other times as a “serpent.” The word “dragon” is the most usually used translation. There seems to have been some sort of huge reptile in the form of the TANNIYN. Roughly thirty times throughout the Old Testament are references to these creatures, which were able to survive both on land and in water.

Additionally, in addition to referencing these massive reptiles, the Bible portray a few species in such a way that some experts believe the writers were referring to dinosaurs when they wrote it. The behemoth is considered the most powerful of all God’s creatures, a colossal giant whose tail is compared to that of a cedar tree (Job 40:15). Some researchers have speculated that the behemoth was either an elephant or a hippopotamus, but this has not been confirmed. Scholars who disagree point out that elephants and hippopotamuses have extremely thin and short tails, which are in no way comparable to tails as long as a cedar tree. However, dinosaurs with massive tails, such as the brachiosaurus and the diplodocus, were clearly distinguished from one another by the fact that they looked like a cedar tree.

Almost every ancient civilization has some type of artwork depicting colossal reptile animals of varying sizes. There have been numerous discoveries of fossilized dinosaur remains in North America that mimic modern-day images of the reptiles. Men riding diplodocus-like beasts are depicted in rock carvings in South America, which, astonishingly, also feature the familiar pictures of triceratops-like, pterodactyl-like, and tyrannosaurus rex-like monsters, among others. The presence of Roman mosaics, Mayan ceramics, and Babylonian city walls all witness to man’s infatuation with these creatures that transcends cultures

and geographical boundaries. Sober descriptions, such as those of Marco Polo and others are mixed in with wild tales of treasure-hoarding monsters and other mythical creatures. Apart from the substantial amount of anthropic and historical evidence for the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans, there are physical evidences for the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans, such as the fossilized footprints of humans and dinosaurs discovered together in places such as North America and West Central Asia.

Therefore, do the Scriptures contain any mention of dinosaurs? The situation is far from being resolved. It all depends on how you interpret the evidence that is available to you and how you see the world around you. A literal interpretation of the Bible will result in a young-earth theory that can be accepted, as well as the premise that dinosaurs and humans coexisted. What happened to the dinosaurs if humans and dinosaurs coexisted, and how did they survive? While the Bible makes no mention of dinosaur extinction, it seems likely that they died out sometime after the flood as a result of a combination of significant environmental shifts and the fact that they were brutally hunted to extinction by humans during the early post-flood era.