Unicorns???

[Jenny A]

Unicorns really are a translation problem.

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We might as well get ALL the unicorn verses:

In Numbers and Deuteronomy we find comparisons of God to a unicorn:

God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

Numbers 23:22 KJV

God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

Numbers 24:8 KJV

His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

Deuteronomy 33:17 KJV


As a metaphorical danger from which David or Israel prays to be rescued or praises god for leashing on their enemies:

Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Psalms 22:20-21 KJV

The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.

Psalms 29:5-7 KJV

And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.

Isaiah 34-7 KJV

As previously mentioned in the OP as a wild untamed thing:

Job:

Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

Job 39-9-10 KJV

And finally as a cross between a holy object and sword:

But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.

Psalm 92-10

These get translated in elsewhere as wild ox, wild bull, or buffalo. So it is really just a translation error.

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Saytrs are more interesting because they are translated "goat demons" in the NRSV:

But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

Isaiah 13:21 KJV

The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.

Isaiah 34:14 KJV

But wild animals will lie down there,
and its houses will be full of howling creatures;
there ostriches will live,
and there goat-demons will dance.

Isaiah 13:21 NRSV

Wildcats shall meet with hyenas,
goat-demons shall call to each other;
there too Lilith shall repose,
and find a place to rest.

34:14 NRSV

Night demons pops up here and there too as an alternative to goat demon. That makes it better right?

Some other translations just use "wild goats."

The Hebrew word is sa’ir.

It is related to the term se’ar (“hair”), which means a “hairy one.” Mostly the word is used of the male goat that was employed as a sin-offering — especially that solemn sin-offering of the day of atonement (Lev. 16).

https://www.christiancourier.com/article...-the-bible

It's translated variously elsewhere in the Bible:

Twice the term is rendered “demon” (Lev. 17:7; 2 Chron. 11:15 — KJV), where it actually signifies a pagan god that takes the form of a goat (see ESV — 2 Chron. 11:15).

https://www.christiancourier.com/article...-the-bible

Satyr is a translation error, but the demon goats, not so much. So about those pagan demon goats? Are there other gods, or demons?