Most of us have seen documentaries of this creature - the elusive Narwhal - Unicorn of the Sea.
We would not debate that it exists, but what about the Unicorn of the Land, (and or air if you picture Pegasus with its wing span)? Where does the evidence lead? What is our persuasion? Have there really been Unicorns in existence? Lets take a quick look at some biblical references to the unicorn?
I know it seems a little archaic to some of you but we will use the KJV to help contest some additional points.
Numbers 23:22,24:8
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
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.
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.
Job 39:9, 10
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?
Psalms 92:10, 29:6, 22:22
But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
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.
So there is no denying the case for unicorns existing in the bible. But just what were these animals. It is key to remember that the original text was written in this case (O.T.) Hebrews, and that our KJV English translation is at least two steps back to the original. The in-between text is the Latin common language of the people - Vulgate. In the Latin text there are 5 different words that are being used. Rinoceros, Rinocerotis, Rinocerota, Unicornium, Unicornis all are translated as Unicorn in these 9 passages. This sheds some light on our debate, that and the changing definition of unicorn in the last 200 years.
Websters (New World Dictionary) - UNICORN - a mythical horse-like animal with a single horn growing from its head.
Websters (Original 1928 Dictionary) - UNICORN - animal with one horn; the monoceros. This name is often applied to the rhinoceros.
Difference in 200 years - NOTHING about a horse, NOTHING about a horse-like animal, NOTHING about a mythical animal, NOTHING about a fictitious creature, NOTHING about Greek mythology. Rather most often applied to the RHINOCEROS!
Websters (Original 1928 Dictionary) - RHINOCEROS - nose horn... of two species, one of which the unicorn has a single horn growing almost erect from its nose... There is another species with two horns the bicornis, they are natives of Asia and Africa.
If the definition of Unicorn has changed in the last 200 years then it doesn't make any sense to apply that modern translation to a 400 year old translation (1611 KJV)!
I know some of you are a little disappointed because you were hoping to see this ...
Instead we brought you this ...
Look back again at the Deut. 33:17 passage.
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.
... referring to the prophetic word spoken over Joseph's two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. To illustrate the greatness of one brother compared to the other, Moses used the symbol of a unicorns horn. And if you check the foot note on the Unicorns it is actually a single unicorn possessing more than one horn. This completes the illustration that Moses was trying to picture. The greater horn would stand for Ephriam and his brother Manasseh was represented by the other horn. Concluding the Prophetic word spoken over Joseph and his two sons back in Genesis.
Genesis 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great (referring to Manasseh): but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he (referring to Ephraim), and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
How persuasive is that! Unicorns & Rhinoceros in the bible. To be sure there are other theories but this seems to be the most sound!
The following video may help bring some closure to this question as we Rebuffer the Answer. PLEASE WATCH - ITS WORTH YOUR TIME!
Many modern translations substitutes "Wild Oxen", however the Deuteronomy passage seems to clarify the descriptive unicorn to be more like a two horned Rhino, you decide for yourself ... What ever the creature was the scripture and its contexts persuades us to believe that it was not a mythical one, but rather a fierce beast that may or may not still be in existence. It may have been among the species of antelope, ox, buffalo, or other family, but I'm inclined to believe it best fits the description of a Rhino.