BEHEMOTH AND LEVIATHAN
It's hard to define the word "demon". It's derived from "daemon" or "daimon", a term for minor Greek divinities, but is now used chiefly for evil spirits or monsters. In that respect, almost all the creatures on this site can be considered demons. For this page, I'll be focusing on monsters actually identified by name as devils or demons, demons of the Goetia (a branch of occultism which teaches that 72 spirits were bound by King Solomon and can be summoned by magicians), demons mentioned in major grimoires, demons depicted in Colin de Plancy's 1863 book Dictionnaire Infernal (a popular source of demon illustrations), and other monsters which seem explicitly demonic, such as the Pit Fiend.
Behemoth -- King Behemoth -- Leviathan -- Tidaliathan
Behemoth is an unidentified creature mentioned in the Bible: "Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength [is] in his loins, and his force [is] in the navel of his belly.
He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
His bones [are as] strong pieces of brass; his bones [are] like bars of iron.
He [is] the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach [unto him].
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
The shady trees cover him [with] their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
Behold, he drinketh up a river, [and] hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
He taketh it with his eyes: [his] nose pierceth through snares." (the Book of Job, 40:15-24). While it has been suggested that Behemoth is a hippo or elephant, a lot of folklore has grown up around him. He's frequently compared with another unidentified Biblical creature, Leviathan, and said to be either her mate or enemy. According to the apocrypha, "And on that day (the day of judgment) two monsters will be separated from one another, a female monster whose name is Leviathan, to dwell in the depths of the sea, above the springs of the waters. And the name of the male is Behemoth who occupies with his breast an immense desert named Dendayn on the east of the Garden where the chosen and the righteous dwell. Where my great-grandfather was received, who was seventh from Adam, the first man whom the Lord of Spirits made." (the Book of Enoch, 60:7-8).
Despite the Bible's claim that "He [is] the chief of the ways of God", Behemoth is often considered to be a demon, more specifically, the demon of gluttony. The Scripture isn't clear as to whether Behemoth is one of a kind or a member of a whole race; if it's the former, there would obviously be no "King Behemoth", a creature which most likely originates in Final Fantasy.
IMAGES: William Blake's depiction of Behemoth and Leviathan, from the Book of Job (1825) -- Illustration from Colin de Plancy's 1863 book Dictionairre Infernal showing Behemoth as a demon
Leviathan is a creature mentioned in the Bible:
"Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord [which] thou lettest down?
Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft [words] unto thee?
Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
Wilt thou play with him as [with] a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not [one] be cast down even at the sight of him?
None [is so] fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
Who hath prevented me, that I should repay [him? whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.
I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
Who can discover the face of his garment? [or] who can come [to him] with his double bridle?
Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth [are] terrible round about.
[His] scales [are his] pride, shut up together [as with] a close seal.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes [are] like the eyelids of the morning.
Out of his mouth go burning lamps, [and] sparks of fire leap out.
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as [out] of a seething pot or caldron.
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether [millstone].
When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
He esteemeth iron as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood.
The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
Sharp stones [are] under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
He maketh a path to shine after him; [one] would think the deep [to be] hoary.
Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
He beholdeth all high [things]: he [is] a king over all the children of pride." (the Book of Job 41: 1-34). More mentions are found in Job 3:8, Psalms 74:14 and 104:26 and Isaiah 27:1. An apocryphal account states that the creature is female: "And on that day two monsters will be separated from one another, a female monster whose name is Leviathan, to dwell in the depths of the sea, above the springs of the waters." (the Book of Enoch, 60:7). The male mosnter is Behemoth, sometimes said to be wither the mate or enemy of Leviathan. Precisely what Levithan is intended to be is debated - theories range from a crocodile to a demon, even Satan.
"Tidaliathan" is a combination of "tidal" and "Leviathan".
IMAGE: William Blake's depiction of Behemoth and Leviathan, from the Book of Job (1825)
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