fwGod
Well-Known Member
[from the wikipedia] The Hebrew word re'em was translated monokeros (unicorn) in the Septuagint. In 1899, Johann Ulrich Duerst wrote that the re’em was most likely the aurochs or urus (Bos primigenius), an extinct species of cattle that once ranged through the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, India, and Asia.Even today, the exact meaning of the Hebrew word "re'em" isn't known; only that it's a large, fierce herbivore, which makes it possible to be any of several of today's animals.
If not that, I would sooner refer it to the antelope Oryx rather than wild ox and certainly not refer to a mythical animal as the unicorn.
Other Bible translations at least made the effort to refer to a real animal when they used the words wild ox, which has two horns as the Oryx do. Psalm 92:10 speaks of one of the horns being exalted over the other which is precisely to convey a person being exalted over another person, or a circumstance. The unicorn has no comparative other horn to convey that.
It's unfortunate that Britain used a mythical animal in one side and a real lion on the other side. One wonders what they intend to convey by that. But it's hardly a valid reason to accept that God actually meant a unicorn.I don't fault the AV men for calling it "unicorn", as unicorns are depicted on both KJ's & Britain's coats-of-arms. The AV men weren't zoologists, & they had no reason to doubt the existence of unicorns. ('Tis likely they never saw a lion, either.)
The translators used 'unicorn' which was most likely all that they bothered to be informed about, but it wasn't the original prophets intent when they spoke the message of God.. I can't accept that God would use a mythical animal to convey his truth.. even as Jesus' parables, always using real things to convey spiritual truth.
They do strongly effect and influence such people as the unbelievers who use the unfortunate translated or substituted words or phrases in the Bible to mock it and/or use them as a reason not to believe.But as Strong In Him said, such things as animals' names don't affect DOCTRINE, so I'm not too-concerned with them.
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