Unicorns

Numbers 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. [kjv]

The English word "unicorn" comes from the Middle English word "unikorn" ≈ "unicorn" which comes, through French, from the Latin word "unicornis" ≈ "unicorn" which comes from two Latin words.

The Latin word "unus" ≈ "one".
The Latin word "cornu" ≈ "horn".

The word unicorn appears in nine verses in the KJV (King James Version) and in eight verses in the LXX (Septuagint). What exactly is a "unicorn"?

Where there unicorns on the Ark? Perhaps Noah did not allow them on the Ark, and said "What part of Noah do you not understand?".

Numbers 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. [kjv]

… ראם … [he]

θεος ο εξαγαγων αυτους εξ αιγυπτου ως δοξα μονοκερωτος αυτω [lxx]

… rinocerotis [v]

… vnicorn… [wy]

… unicornio. [es]

In Numbers 23:22 a comparisons is made of the "strength" of God to bring Israel out of Egypt.

*H7214 רְאֵם רְאֵים רֵים רֵם (reh-ame') : or rieym {reh-ame'}; or reym {rame}; or rem {rame}; from H7213; a wild bull (from its conspicuousness):--unicorn.

The Hebrew word "ראם" (wild bull) ≈ "re-em". Is there such an animal that fits the descriptions in the Bible?

Numbers 23:22

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

Hebrew: אל מוציאם ממצרים כתועפת ראם לו׃

Greek: θεος ο εξαγαγων αυτους εξ αιγυπτου ως δοξα μονοκερωτος αυτω

Latin: Deus eduxit eum de Aegypto cuius fortitudo similis est rinocerotis

Wycliffe: The Lord God ledde hym out of Egipt, whos strengthe is lijk an vnicorn;

Luther: Gott hat sie aus Ägypten geführet; seine Freudigkeit ist wie eines Einhorns.

Spanish: Dios los ha sacado de Egipto; tiene fuerzas como de unicornio.

Portuguese: Deus fê-lo sair do Egipto, sendo para ele como a força de um búfalo.

Numbers 24:8 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. [kjv]

… ראם … [he]

θεος ωδηγησεν αυτον εξ αιγυπτου ως δοξα μονοκερωτος αυτω εδεται εθνη εχθρων αυτου και τα παχη αυτων εκμυελιει και ταις βολισιν αυτου κατατοξευσει εχθρον [lxx]

In this verse, God not only has the "strength" of a "unicorn" but has "arrows".

More: Rainbows and the toxic arrow of time

Numbers 24:8

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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.

Hebrew: אל מוציאו ממצרים כתועפת ראם לו יאכל גוים צריו ועצמתיהם יגרם וחציו ימחץ׃

Greek: θεος ωδηγησεν αυτον εξ αιγυπτου ως δοξα μονοκερωτος αυτω εδεται εθνη εχθρων αυτου και τα παχη αυτων εκμυελιει και ταις βολισιν αυτου κατατοξευσει εχθρον

Latin: Deus eduxit illum de Aegypto cuius fortitudo similis est rinocerotis devorabunt gentes hostes illius ossaque eorum confringent et perforabunt sagittis

Wycliffe: God ledde hym out of Egipt, whos strengthe is lijk an vnicorn; thei schulen deuoure hethene men, enemyes`of hym, that is, of Israel; and thei schulen breke the boonus of hem, and schulen perse with arowis.

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

Spanish: Dios lo sacó de Egipto; tiene fuerzas como de unicornio; comerá a las naciones sus enemigas, y desmenuzará sus huesos, y asaeteará con sus saetas.

Portuguese: Deus fê-lo sair do Egipto, sendo para ele como a força de um búfalo. Devora os povos seus inimigos, esmaga-lhes os ossos e quebra as suas flechas.

Deuteronomy 33:17 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. [kjv]

… שורו … ראם … [he]

πρωτοτοκος ταυρου το καλλος αυτου κερατα μονοκερωτος τα κερατα αυτου εν αυτοις εθνη κερατιει αμα εως επ ακρου γης αυται μυριαδες εφραιμ και αυται χιλιαδες μανασση [lxx]

The Hebrew word "שורו" (so-w-row) ≈ "bull". Here, the "horns" of the firstling of a "bull" is compared to the "horns" of the "unicorns".

The ancient Greek word "ταῦρος" ≈ "bull" and is the source of the English word "Taurus" as the zodiac constellation. Bulls were a symbol of Crete and the Minotaur.

More: Crete: History and Bible references

Deuteronomy 33:17

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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.

Hebrew: בכור שורו הדר לו וקרני ראם קרניו בהם עמים ינגח יחדו אפסי ארץ והם רבבות אפרים והם אלפי מנשה׃

Greek: πρωτοτοκος ταυρου το καλλος αυτου κερατα μονοκερωτος τα κερατα αυτου εν αυτοις εθνη κερατιει αμα εως επ ακρου γης αυται μυριαδες εφραιμ και αυται χιλιαδες μανασση

Latin: quasi primogeniti tauri pulchritudo eius cornua rinocerotis cornua illius in ipsis ventilabit gentes usque ad terminos terrae hae sunt multitudines Ephraim et haec milia Manasse

Wycliffe: As the first gendrid of a bole is the feirnesse of hym; the hornes of an vnicorn ben the hornes of hym; in tho he schal wyndewe folkis, `til to the termes of erthe. These ben the multitudis of Effraym, and these ben the thousyndis of Manasses.

Spanish: Su gloria es como la del primogénito de su toro, y sus cuernos, cuernos de unicornio; con ellos acorneará a los pueblos juntos hasta los fines de la tierra; yéstos son los diez millares de Efraín, yéstos los millares de Manasés.

Portuguese: É belo como touro gordo! Seus chifres são chifres de búfalo; com eles derrubará os povos todos, até aos confins da terra: tais são as multidões de Efraim, os milhares de Manassés! »

Psalms 22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. [kjv]

… רמים … [he]

σωσον με εκ στοματος λεοντος και απο κερατων μονοκερωτων την ταπεινωσιν μου [lxx]

… cornibus unicornium … [v]

Here, the "horns" of the "unicorns" make sounds. Perhaps these are musical "horns".

Psalms 22:21

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

Hebrew: הושיעני מפי אריה ומקרני רמים עניתני׃

Greek: σωσον με εκ στοματος λεοντος και απο κερατων μονοκερωτων την ταπεινωσιν μου

Latin: salva me ex ore leonis et de cornibus unicornium exaudi me

Psalms 29:6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. [kjv]

και λεπτυνει αυτας ως τον μοσχον τον λιβανον και ο ηγαπημενος ως υιος μονοκερωτων [lxx]

Here is a "young" unicorn in the KJV as in a "son" in the LXX.

Psalms 29:6

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

Hebrew: וירקידם כמו עגל לבנון ושרין כמו בן ראמים׃

Greek: και λεπτυνει αυτας ως τον μοσχον τον λιβανον και ο ηγαπημενος ως υιος μονοκερωτων

Psalms 78:69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever. [kjv]

και ωκοδομησεν ως μονοκερωτων το αγιασμα αυτου εν τη γη εθεμελιωσεν αυτην εις τον αιωνα [lxx]

Here, the LXX uses the Greek for "unicorn" while the KJV from the Hebrew uses "high palaces".

Psalms 78:69

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

Hebrew: ויבן כמו רמים מקדשו כארץ יסדה לעולם׃

Greek: και ωκοδομησεν ως μονοκερωτων το αγιασμα αυτου εν τη γη εθεμελιωσεν αυτην εις τον αιωνα

Psalms 92:10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. [kjv]

και υψωθησεται ως μονοκερωτος το κερας μου και το γηρας μου εν ελαιω πιονι [lxx]

… monocerotis cornu … [v]

Here, a comparison is made of a musical "horn" that is like that of a "unicorn".

Psalms 92:10

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

Hebrew: ותרם כראים קרני בלתי בשמן רענן׃

Greek: και υψωθησεται ως μονοκερωτος το κερας μου και το γηρας μου εν ελαιω πιονι

Latin: et exaltabitur quasi monocerotis cornu meum et senecta mea in oleo uberi

Spanish: Pero tú exaltarás mi cuerno como el del unicornio; seré ungido con aceite fresco.

Isaiah 34:7 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. [kjv]

και συμπεσουνται οι αδροι μετ αυτων και οι κριοι και οι ταυροι και μεθυσθησεται η γη απο του αιματος και απο του στεατος αυτων εμπλησθησεται [lxx]

… unicornes … [v]

Here, the LXX uses the Greek for "men" while the KJV from the Hebrew uses "unicorns".

Isaiah 34:7

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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.

Hebrew: וירדו ראמים עמם ופרים עם אבירים ורותה ארצם מדם ועפרם מחלב ידשן׃

Greek: και συμπεσουνται οι αδροι μετ αυτων και οι κριοι και οι ταυροι και μεθυσθησεται η γη απο του αιματος και απο του στεατος αυτων εμπλησθησεται

Latin: et descendent unicornes cum eis et tauri cum potentibus inebriabitur terra eorum sanguine et humus eorum adipe pinguium

Job 39:9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? [kjv]

βουλησεται δε σοι μονοκερως δουλευσαι η κοιμηθηναι επι φατνης σου [lxx]

… rinoceros … [v]

39:10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? [kjv]

δησεις δε εν ιμασι ζυγον αυτου η ελκυσει σου αυλακας εν πεδιω [lxx]

… rinocerota … [v]

Job has references to a "unicorn" in successive verses. The second verse in the LXX uses the Greek for a pair - typically of oxen.

In this verse, Jerome, in the Latin Vulgate, used the Latin word "rinoceros" ≈ "rhinoceros" rather than "unicorn" or "wild bull".

This was also done in the following verses (from above) that were later changed to "unicorn".

Numbers 23:22, 24:8
Deuteronomy 33:17
Psalm 29:6

Job 39:9

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

Hebrew: היאבה רים עבדך אם ילין על אבוסך׃

Greek: βουλησεται δε σοι μονοκερως δουλευσαι η κοιμηθηναι επι φατνης σου

Latin: numquid volet rinoceros servire tibi aut morabitur ad praesepe tuum

Job 39:10

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

Hebrew: התקשר רים בתלם עבתו אם ישדד עמקים אחריך׃

Greek: δησεις δε εν ιμασι ζυγον αυτου η ελκυσει σου αυλακας εν πεδιω

Latin: numquid alligabis rinocerota ad arandum loro tuo aut confringet glebas vallium post te

A possible "unicorn", an animal with one horn, is the one-horned Indian rhinoceros. The English word "rhino" is short for the English word "rhinoceros" and is from the Latin word "rhinoceros" ≈ "rhinoceros" and is from The ancient Greek word "ῥῑνόκερως" ≈ "rhinoceros".

The ancient Greek word "ῥῑνόκερως" ≈ "rhinoceros" and is from two Greek words.

The ancient Greek word "ῥις" ≈ "nose". See To mock a mocking mock.
The ancient Greek word "ῥινός" ≈ "of the nose".
The ancient Greek word "κέρας" ≈ "horn". See Horns and trumpets and tubas.

The plural of unicorn might be a rhinoceros with more than one horn.
The German word "Weite" (vite) ≈ "wide, width" (i.e., in South Africa) appears to be the source of the English term "White Rhino" which, was not really "white" but "wide". The German "Weit" sounds like the English "white".

Note: This is disputed as a folk etymology but is interesting nonetheless.