"Behemoth" denotes the hippopotamus, though the Biblical description contains mythical elements suggesting these were not ordinary animals. The creatures appear in Job xl, where behemoth is described as "the first of the ways of God" and leviathan as the unconquerable king of water creatures, while behemoth rules the land animals.
Scholar Gunkel proposes these monsters corresponded to figures in Babylonian mythology—Tiamat (the abyss) and Kingu (a serpent)—representing primeval cosmic forces rather than realistic beasts.
According to rabbinic tradition, God originally created both male and female leviathans but slew the female to prevent world destruction. Her flesh was reserved for the righteous at the Messiah's coming.
The Talmud describes the leviathan's immense size through a parable: a fish entering "the jaws of the leviathan" measures three hundred miles in length. When hungry, the creature releases heat making "all the waters of the deep boil." Its Mediterranean habitat receives Jordan's waters directly into its mouth.
The leviathan's body, particularly its eyes, supposedly possessed great illuminating power. However, despite supernatural strength, it feared a tiny worm called "kilbit" that kills large fish.
Rabbinic literature emphasizes the leviathan's role in messianic times. A great banquet will serve the creature's flesh to the righteous at resurrection. Those abstaining from pagan sports will enjoy hunting both leviathan and behemoth.
Gabriel would attempt killing the monster, though God's divine intervention would be necessary. One tradition describes leviathan battling "the ox of the mountain," resulting in mutual destruction.
The leviathan's hide would provide practical items: tents for the pious, girdles, chains, and necklaces. Remaining hide would illuminate Jerusalem's walls with brilliant light.
Commentators interpret these narratives allegorically. Maimonides understood the banquet as representing "spiritual enjoyment of the intellect." He derived the name from a root meaning "to join" or "unite," designating an imaginary composite monster combining various animal features.
Cabalistic interpreters identified the "piercing leviathan" and "crooked leviathan" with Satan- SAFE0 (the angel of death) and Lilith. Others, including Kimchi and Abravanel, understood these expressions as referencing destruction of forces hostile to Jews.
The Book of Enoch describes leviathan and behemoth as monsters produced on the day of judgment—the female leviathan dwelling in ocean depths, the male behemoth occupying a wilderness east of paradise where the righteous dwell.
According to II Esdras, both monsters were created on the fifth day and separated because waters couldn't contain them together. Behemoth received the dried land with thousand mountains providing sustenance; leviathan received the water-filled seventh part of earth.
The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch predicts these creatures emerging from seclusion to serve as food for survivors during Messianic times.
A third creature, the "ziz" (a gigantic bird from (Psalm 1:1)1), supplemented the messianic banquet alongside behemoth and leviathan. This tripartite tradition reflects Persian Zoroastrian cosmology, which featured primeval representatives of animal classes. Zoroastrian parallels include the Kar fish (leviathan), three-legged ass Khara (behemoth predecessor), ox Hadhayosh, and bird Chamrosh.