Leviathan

Leviathan (Hebrew livyathan, meaning "twisted" or "coiled") is a great sea creature representing primordial power and chaos in biblical literature. In Job 41, Leviathan is described in vivid detail — impenetrable scales, breath of fire, eyes like dawn — to demonstrate God's sovereign power over creation and thus his authority to address Job's complaint. The psalmist celebrates God's creation of Leviathan to play in the sea (Ps. 104:26) and his historical breaking of Leviathan's heads as a type of the exodus deliverance (Ps. 74:14). Isaiah promises the creature's final eschatological defeat: "the LORD will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea" (Isa. 27:1). Scholars debate whether the creature is mythological, symbolizes historical enemies such as Egypt, or denotes a real animal such as the crocodile.