When we hear the word Leviathan, we imagine a frightening dragon or perhaps a primordial sea beast. In the Bible, Leviathan is a powerful sea monster, the largest animal on earth that shall be destroyed in an apocalyptic battle at the End of Days. Although we tend to think of Leviathan as a whale, this is not possible since there are no whales in the sea off the coast of the Land of Israel.
It is more likely that the Bible is referring to a mighty sea snake. The Hebrew word leviyatan (לויתן) comes from a root that means “twisted”. This interpretation is supported by the words of the prophet Isaiah regarding the Judgment Day: “On that day the Lord will punish with his great cruel mighty sword… Leviathan the twisting serpent” (Isa. 27:1). Rather than a huge fish, we should envision a huge coiled serpent.
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