Whale
“Tannin, a general term for large creatures; Greek ketos denotes any sea monster”
Summary
The term 'whale' in older English translations refers broadly to large sea creatures, with debate centering on whether any specific marine animal is intended or simply great monsters of the deep.
☩Hebrew Terms and Translation
Two closely related Hebrew terms are translated 'whale' in the King James Version: tan (plural tannim) and tannin. These terms have varied meanings: serpent, crocodile, jackal, or sea monster depending on context. When associated with deserts and desolate places, the terms indicate jackals or serpents; when connected with rivers, likely crocodiles; when with the sea, probably cetaceans or large fish. The Revised Version typically uses 'sea-monster' or 'monster' rather than 'whale.'
☩The Fish That Swallowed Jonah
In the book of Jonah, the Hebrew word is simply dag or dagah, the ordinary word for 'fish.' The Greek ketos in Matthew 12:40, rendered 'whale' in older translations, may denote any large sea creature—whale, shark, or seal. Although whales are occasionally found in the Mediterranean, the 'great fish' is not necessarily a cetacean. Some scholars suggest a large shark, as the white shark (Carcharias vulgaris) can reach thirty feet and is capable of swallowing a man whole—a horse has been found in one specimen. However, if taken literally, the preservation of Jonah was miraculous regardless of the creature involved.
☩Typological Significance
Jonah's three days in the sea monster served as a type of Christ's three days in the tomb, as Jesus Himself declared. The great sea creatures of Genesis 1:21 are presented as part of God's good creation, the tanninim being specifically created by God on the fifth day. Jonah's experience prefigures the greater salvation: as the prophet was preserved through judgment, so Christ passed through death and emerged in resurrection.
Related Verses4 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Whale," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Whale," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. V (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Whale," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Whale," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 5.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Whale," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).