unicorns in the bible

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Apologists say unicorn in the bible is a rino. Rino have two horns don't they?

[geni]

It depends on the species. The indian rhino and the Javan rhino both have only one horn.
http://home.wanadoo.nl/photo/indiawild/rhino_side.jpg

Eddited to ad photo

[sophia8]

Which passage in the Bible mentions unicorns? AFAIK, unicorns were only ever mentioned in European folklore.
And Rhinos usually have two horns, but can sometimes have only one.

ETA: After a bit more searching, it seems that the unicorn myth may have orginated in China and been exported to the middle East and Europe via the spice trade; the Chinese unicorn, however, appears to have started out as a one-horned goat. For more info on this topic: Zhi: the Chinese Unicorn (http://www.rom.on.ca/pub/unicorn/index.html)

[Johnny Pneumatic]

could the writers of the bible have known of Indian and Javan rhinos?

[geni]

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas
could the writers of the bible have known of Indian and Javan rhinos?
Posible through travlers tails. Anyway I think the antilope theory works much better.
http://www.arabianoryx.com/assets/intro/intro05%20560.jpg

again eddited to add picture

[Johnny Pneumatic]

maybe thats what the author was talking about. The apologists
will have a hard time with the bible's "Fiery Flying Serpents".

[Chaos]

I once read an essay by Isaac Asimov saying that "unicorn horns" were probably the horns of orca (killer whales). These horns sometimes broke off and stuck in ships´ hulls, and the sailors sold them as unicorn horns to superstitious landlubbers.

[geni]

Originally posted by Chaos
I once read an essay by Isaac Asimov saying that "unicorn horns" were probably the horns of orca (killer whales). These horns sometimes broke off and stuck in ships´ hulls, and the sailors sold them as unicorn horns to superstitious landlubbers.

are you sure you don't mean a narwhal
http://getvegan.com/blog/narwhal.jpg

[Johnny Pneumatic]

those whales are cool.

[Johnny Pneumatic]

they are teeth; not horns.

[Chaos]

I don´t remember that essay very well. Maybe he really said "narwhales". I would make sense, at least.

Teeth? Outside the mouth? Maybe you mean "tusks".

[geni]

Originally posted by Chaos
I don´t remember that essay very well. Maybe he really said "narwhales". I would make sense, at least.

Teeth? Outside the mouth? Maybe you mean "tusks".


They atcherly are teeth. When the narwhale reaches a certian age on of its teeth grows into that long spike. In some cases this process goes slightly wrong and you end up with a two spiked whale.

[Marc]

Unicorns, dragons, cockatrice, satyrs, talking serpents and donkeys, flying fiery serpents. That is not even getting into the real weird stuff of Revelation.

[Johnny Pneumatic]

The writer of Rev. must have been on mushrooms.

[zakur]

From this article: UNICORNS, SATYRS, AND THE BIBLE (http://www.apologeticspress.org/rr/rr2000/r&r0004b.htm):It is evident once again that the Bible does not lower itself to superstitious mythology.:id:

[Ratman_tf]

It's always tickled me that fundamentalists say the bible is innerant, but only argue that Noah and the Flood and a young earth creation are literally true, but hold that Revelations is all allegory. If the bible is literal truth, wouldn't that mean Revelations is gonna be all giant 12 headed goats eating people and angels with swords running around hacking down buildings and forests and stuff? And beasts rising out of the sea? Not to mention the 'mark of the beast' is gonna be a 666 tattoed to your forehead, and not some WTO chip implant...

[Leif Roar]

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas
Apologists say unicorn in the bible is a rino. Rino have two horns don't they?

From Encyclopædia Britannica: Certain poetical passages of the biblical Old Testament refer to a strong and splendid horned animal called re 'em. This word was translated “unicorn” or “rhinoceros” in many versions of the Bible, but many modern translations prefer “wild ox” (aurochs), which is the correct meaning of the Hebrew re 'em.

Seems to be another case of poor translations.

[neutrino_cannon]

Originally posted by geni

Posible through travlers tails. Anyway I think the antilope theory works much better.
http://www.arabianoryx.com/assets/intro/intro05%20560.jpg

again eddited to add picture

That's an oryx in't it?

Is that a thylacaine in your avatar zakur? Always try the australian version of a wolf eh?

Hah! I'll bet there's no thylacaines in the bible!

And where's that wierd unicorn poster from a while back?

Anyway, unicorns seem unlikely to me, because ungulates with horns are typically even toed, and horses are odd toed.

Of course, unicorns ares sometimes shown with cloven hooves.