Smith's Bible Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Unicorn
the rendering of the Authorized Version of the Hebrew reem, a word which occurs seven times in the Old Testament as the name of some large wild animal. The reem of the Hebrew Bible, however, has nothing at all to do with the one-horned animal of the Greek and Roman writers, as is evident from De 33:17 where in the blessing of Joseph it is said; "his glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of a unicorn;" not, as the text of the Authorized Version renders it, "the horns of unicorns." The two horns of the ram are "the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh." This text puts a one-horned animal entirely out of the question. Considering that the reem is spoken of as a two-horned animal of great strength and ferocity, that it was evidently well known and often seen by the Jews, that it is mentioned as an animal fit for sacrificial purposes, and that it is frequently associated with bulls and oxen we think there can be no doubt that, some species of wild ox is intended. The allusion in Ps 92:10 "But thou shalt lift up, as a reeym, my horn," seems to point to the mode in which the Bovidae use their horns, lowering the head and then tossing it up. But it is impossible to determine what particular species of wild ox is signified probably some gigantic urus is intended. (It is probable that it was the gigantic Bos primigeniua, or aurochs, now extinct, but of which Caesar says, "These uri are scarcely less than elephants in size, but in their nature, color and form are bulls. Great is their strength and great their speed; they spare neither man nor beast when once; they have caught sight of them" --Bell. Gall. vi. 20.-ED.)
Bibliography Information
Smith, William, Dr "Meaning and Definition for 'unicorn' in Smiths Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Smith's; 1901.
Copyright Information
© Smith's Bible Dictionary
Smith's Bible Dictionary Home
Bible History Online Home
Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
Online Bible (KJV)
Naves Topical Bible
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Schaff's Bible Dictionary
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary
Popular and Trending:
Meaning and Definition of Pharaoh, Who Was the Pharaoh of the Exodus, Did God Harden Pharaoh's Heart, Which Pharaoh Reigned during the Time of Joseph and Moses , How Many Watches of the Night, What were the Jewish Watches of the Night, What Is the Meaning of the Fourth Watch, Midnight and the Cock Crowing , What Were Thorns and Thistles in the Bible, What were the Different Thorns and Thistles, How Many Different Plants And Trees Had Thorns In the Time of Jesus , Where Was Nineveh, Definition and Meaning of Nineveh, Who Were the Assyrians, Which the Syrian King Made Nineveh Their Capital, Which Palaces Were Nineveh, Did Archaeologists Discovered Nineveh , What is the meaning of Edom and Idumea, Where the Edomites Descendents of Esau, Was Herod and Edomite, When was Petra A City of Edom, Why Did the Edomites Fail When They Attacked Israel After Jerusalem Fell , Why did Noah send a Raven? Was The Biblical Raven A Crow, Why Are Raven's Black, What Was the Raven in the Mosaic Law, Do Raven's Attack the Eyes , What was a Crown of Thorns, Which Thorny Shrub or Plant Was the Crown of Thorns Made from, What Color Was the Crown of Thorns, in Matthew 27:29 Why did the Roman soldiers mock Jesus using a Crown of Thorns , What was a Gergesenes, Where Was Gadara And What Is the Modern Name, Where Was the Place That Jesus Healed the Two Demon Possessed Man, What Is the Meaning of Gadarenes, What Is a Demoniac , What were the 10 Plagues, What Does the Bible Say about Each of the 10 Plagues, Did God Use the 10 Plagues to Mock the Gods of Egypt, in Exodus 3-12 How Are the Plagues Described, Was the Passover Part of the 10th Plague , Where was Zoar, What Is the Biblical Meaning of okaythe Land of Zoar, Has Zoar Been Discovered, Where Was Zoar in Relation to Sodom and Gomorrah