A Re’em Resource

The Hebrew word re’em (רְאֵם) is used nine times (in slightly different forms: kir·’êm, 1; rə·’êm, 3; rə·’ê·mîm, 2; rêm, 2; rê·mîm, 1) in the Hebrew Old Testament: Numbers 23:22, 24:8; Deuteronomy 33:17; Job 39:9–10; Psalm 22:21, 29:6 and 92:10; Isaiah 34:7. The re’em is an animal, whose proper identification and translation is sometimes disputed. Below I have collected the verses in 5 translations. The first line is an excerpt of the Hebrew showing the word re’em, based on the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. The second is the Greek Septuagint translation (LXX) from the Septuagint Bible placed online by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The third (VUL) is based on the Clementine Vulgate at Bible Gateway.. The fourth (LTR) is based on 1545 Luther German Bible at Bible Gateway. at Bible Gateway. The fifth line (KJV) is the King James English translation. The sixth (YLT) is based on the 1898 Robert Young Literal Translation at Bible Gateway.

The version choices may be somewhat obvious – the Septuagint and Vulgate for their longstanding influence (for good or ill) on Bible translation. The Luther Bible is the first important Reformation-era Bible translated from the Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT) rather than from the LXX or Vulgate. The King James Version has held sway among English speakers for 400 years. The Young’s Literal Translation, though perhaps not so important in the grand scheme of things, nevertheless demonstrates a choice to bring over the word re’em from the Hebrew rather than translate it to an English word. The majority of modern translations show a preference for “wild ox.”

The words in brackets [] in the Latin translation of Psalm 22:21 and Psalm 92:10 are from Jerome’s “iuxta Hebraeos” translation of the Psalms. It is my understanding that this translation is supposed to be a close translation of the Hebrew, and that the Old Testament book of Psalms generally found in the Vulgate is based on the Greek LXX. Also note that the Psalm number and verse number can vary in the LXX and Vulgate from what we are used to with the King James numbering. The number in parentheses () is the number they use.

The Hebrew word and the word translated from re’em is bolded. In the LXX and Luther’s Bible, re’em is not translated as a noun in Job 39:10, but a pronoun is substituted. The LXX does not translate re’em as “monoceros” in Isaiah 34:7. Young does not translate re’em in Psalm 22:21. The Vulgate uses both “rhinoceros” and “unicorn.” The KJV translates re’em as unicorn in all nine verses.

Numbers 23:22

מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם לֽוֹ׃

LXX: Θεὸς ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου· ὡς δόξα μονοκέρωτος αὐτῷ.

VUL: Deus eduxit illum de AEgypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis.

LTR: Gott hat sie aus Ägypten geführt; seine Freudigkeit ist wie eines Einhorns.

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

YLT: God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;

Numbers 24:8

מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם ל֑וֹ יֹאכַ֞ל

LXX: Θεὸς ὡδήγησεν αὐτὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, ὡς δόξα μονοκέρωτος αὐτῷ· ἔδεται ἔθνη ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ πάχη αὐτῶν ἐκμυελιεῖ καὶ ταῖς βολίσιν αὐτοῦ κατατοξεύσει ἐχθρόν·

VUL: Deus eduxit illum de AEgypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.

LTR: Gott hat ihn aus Ägypten geführt; seine Freudigkeit ist wie eines Einhorns. Er wird die Heiden, seine Verfolger, fressen und ihre Gebeine zermalmen und mit seinen Pfeilen zerschmettern.

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.

YLT: God is bringing him out of Egypt; As the swiftness of a Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And [with] his arrows he smiteth,

Deuteronomy 33:17

ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם

LXX: πρωτότοκος ταύρου τὸ κάλλος αὐτοῦ, κέρατα μονοκέρωτος τὰ κέρατα αὐτοῦ· ἐν αὐτοῖς ἔθνη κερατιεῖ ἅμα ἕως ἀπ᾿ ἄκρου γῆς. αὗται μυριάδες ᾿Εφραΐμ, καὶ αὗται χιλιάδες Μανασσῆ.

VUL: Quasi primogeniti tauri pulchritudo ejus, cornua rhinocerotis cornua illius: in ipsis ventilabit gentes usque ad terminos terrae. Hae sunt multitudines Ephraim: et haec millia Manasse.

LTR: Seine Herrlichkeit ist wie eines erstgeborenen Stieres, und seine Hörner sind wie Einhornshörner; mit denselben wird er die Völker stoßen zuhauf bis an des Landes Enden. Das sind die Zehntausende Ephraims und die Tausende Manasses.

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.

YLT: His honour [is] a firstling of his ox, And his horns [are] horns of a reem; By them peoples he doth push together To the ends of earth; And they [are] the myriads of Ephraim, And they [are] the thousands of Manasseh.

Job 39:9

הֲיֹ֣אבֶה רֵּ֣ים עָבְדֶ֑ךָ אִם־

LXX: βουλήσεται δέ σοι μονόκερως δουλεῦσαι ἢ κοιμηθῆναι ἐπὶ φάτνης σου;

VUL: Numquid volet rhinoceros servire tibi, aut morabitur ad praesepe tuum?

LTR: Meinst du das Einhorn werde dir dienen und werde bleiben an deiner Krippe?

KJV: Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

YLT: Is a Reem willing to serve thee? Doth he lodge by thy crib?

Job 39:10

הֲ‍ֽתִקְשָׁר־ רֵ֭ים בְּתֶ֣לֶם עֲבֹת֑וֹ

LXX: δήσεις δὲ ἐν ἱμᾶσι ζυγὸν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἑλκύσει σου αὔλακας ἐν πεδίῳ;

VUL: Numquid alligabis rhinocerota ad arandum loro tuo, aut confringet glebas vallium post te?

LTR: Kannst du ihm dein Seil anknüpfen, die Furchen zu machen, daß es hinter dir brache in Tälern?

KJV: Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

YLT: Dost thou bind a Reem in a furrow [with] his thick band? Doth he harrow valleys after thee?

Psalm 22:21

אַרְיֵ֑ה וּמִקַּרְנֵ֖י רֵמִ֣ים עֲנִיתָֽנִי׃

LXX: (21:22) σῶσόν με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου.

VUL: (21:22) Salva me ex ore leonis, et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.

LTR: Hilf mir aus dem Rachen des Löwen und errette mich von den Einhörnern!

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

YLT: Save me from the mouth of a lion: -- And -- from the horns of the high places Thou hast answered me!

Psalm 29:6

כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־ רְאֵמִֽים׃

LXX: (28:6) καὶ λεπτυνεῖ αὐτὰς ὡς τὸν μόσχον τὸν Λίβανον, καὶ ὁ ἠγαπημένος ὡς υἱὸς μονοκερώτων.

VUL: (28:6) et comminuet eas, tamquam vitulum Libani, et dilectus quemadmodum filius unicornium [rinocerotis].

LTR: Und macht sie hüpfen wie ein Kalb, den Libanon und Sirjon wie ein junges Einhorn.

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

YLT: And He causeth them to skip as a calf, Lebanon and Sirion as a son of Reems,

Psalm 92:10

וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י

LXX: (91:11) καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ κέρας μου καὶ τὸ γῆράς μου ἐν ἐλαίῳ πίονι·

VUL: (91:11) Et exaltabitur sicut unicornis [monocerotis] cornu meum, et senectus mea in misericordia uberi.

LTR: Und macht sie hüpfen wie ein Kalb, den Libanon und Sirjon wie ein junges Einhorn.

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

YLT: And Thou exaltest as a reem my horn, I have been anointed with fresh oil.

Isaiah 34:7

וְיָרְד֤וּ רְאֵמִים֙ עִמָּ֔ם וּפָרִ֖ים

LXX: καὶ συμπεσοῦνται οἱ ἁδροὶ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ κριοὶ καὶ οἱ ταῦροι, καὶ μεθυσθήσεται ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ στέατος αὐτῶν ἐμπλησθήσεται.

VUL: Et descendent unicornes cum eis, et tauri cum potentibus; inebriabitur terra eorum sanguine, et humus eorum adipe pinguium.

LTR: Da werden die Einhörner samt ihnen herunter müssen und die Farren samt den gemästeten Ochsen. Denn ihr Land wird trunken werden von Blut und ihre Erde dick werden von Fett.

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.

YLT: And come down have reems with them, And bullocks with bulls, And soaked hath been their land from blood, And their dust from fatness is made fat.

In addition to these verses (above), the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate use “monoceros/unicorn” to translate the Hebrew word rā·mîm. Luther, King James, and Young’s do not follow.

Psalm 78:69

רָ֭מִים rā·mîm (heights?, high, uplifted)

LXX: (77:69) καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

VUL: (77:69) Et aedificavit sicut unicornium [monoceroton] sanctificium suum, in terra quam fundavit in saecula.

LTR: Und baute sein Heiligtum hoch, wie die Erde, die ewiglich fest stehen soll.

KJV: And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

YLT: And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.