A fun and safe resource for kids, provided by Got Questions.
Is there a unicorn in the Bible?
Great question! Here's the answer:
While the word unicorn appears in a couple versions of the Bible, there is not a real unicorn in the Bible.
The King James Version translates the Hebrew word re'em to be "unicorn." Although the KJV translates it this way, it is not correct. Most versions today translate the word to be "wild ox." The original Hebrew re'em literally translates to a "beast with a horn." This led to many people believing the creature was either a unicorn or a rhino.
The more likely answer is that the word re'em refers to aurochs, a large type of cattle that lived in Europe and Asia in ancient times. Aurochs went extinct in the 1600s. These creatures were six feet tall and resembled modern day cattle with horns.
Although it can be disappointing to know there are no unicorns in the Bible, the re'em was definitely a powerful creature. It is okay to still like unicorns, draw them, or write stories about them. We never need to doubt God's creativity, His strength, or His power.
Bible Truth
“God brought them out of Egypt. They are as strong as a wild ox” (Number 23:22).
“Save me from the mouths of those lions. Save me from the horns of those wild oxen” (Psalm 22:21).
“Job, will wild oxen agree to serve you? Will they stay by your feed box at night? Can you keep them in straight rows with harnesses? Will they plow the valleys behind you?” (Job 39:9–10).
