Isaiah 27:1

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BibleOld TestamentIsaiah

NRSV

1 On that day the LORD with his cruel and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.

KJV

1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

A Creation Text

As brother Wilfred Lambert points out in his comments on the ancient myth of Leviathan, this verse envisages a future event from Isaiah's time; but the phrase "Leviathan, that twisting sea serpent" (REB) "is in fact taken over as a phrase, word for word, from Canaanite mythology, in which Baal slays the monster".

God's ultimate triumph through Christ is foretold and celebrated in imagery borrowed, even borrowed word for word, from ancient myths.

Along with the tanninim of Genesis 1:21, this verse teaches us how we should understand Appropriation of ANE mythology in the Scriptures.

Bruce