Topical Bible: Dragon: A Term Applied: To Pharaoh

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In biblical literature, the term "dragon" is often used metaphorically to describe powerful and oppressive forces. One notable application of this term is in reference to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, symbolizing his might and the oppressive nature of his reign over the Israelites.

The imagery of the dragon is vividly employed in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 29:3 , the prophet delivers a message from God against Pharaoh, king of Egypt: "Speak to him and say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the midst of his rivers, who has said, ‘My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.’” Here, the term "great monster" is often understood to be synonymous with "dragon," highlighting Pharaoh's arrogance and self-deification, as well as his perceived invincibility and control over the life-giving Nile River.

The use of "dragon" in this context serves to underscore the formidable nature of Pharaoh's power, which was perceived as tyrannical and oppressive by the Israelites. The dragon imagery conveys a sense of chaos and danger, reflecting the threat that Pharaoh posed to God's people. This metaphor also aligns with the broader biblical theme of God’s sovereignty over all earthly powers, as He ultimately demonstrates His authority by delivering the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

Furthermore, the depiction of Pharaoh as a dragon can be seen as part of a larger biblical narrative that portrays God as the ultimate victor over chaos and evil. In the ancient Near Eastern context, dragons or sea monsters were often associated with chaos and opposition to divine order. By referring to Pharaoh as a dragon, the biblical text places him within this symbolic framework, setting the stage for God's triumph over him.

In summary, the term "dragon" as applied to Pharaoh in the Bible serves as a powerful metaphor for his oppressive rule and the divine judgment that he ultimately faces. This imagery reinforces the biblical message of God's supremacy and His ability to deliver His people from even the most formidable of earthly powers.

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Isaiah 51:9
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Are you not it that has cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
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Library

The Mystery
... pasan ten dunamin, all the host of Pharaoh," and c ... in the apocalyptical sense,""I
renounce the dragon, and all ... As to the reason of the term applied to it, it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... 279]299; false accuser, [280]328; lion and dragon, [281]457 ... Gods, use of term in
Scripture, [450]178, [451]478 ... 119, [564]251, [565]254; to whom applied, [566]360 ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm

Interpretation of Prophecy.
... and the beast that succeeds to the dragon is to ... examples occur in Scripture, by whatever
term we may ... contents of these psalms are then applied, according to ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxviii interpretation of prophecy.htm

Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... predicate of God, himself also admitting that God is without quantity, or magnitude,
or parts; but the statement that this term ought not to be applied to Him ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/answer to eunomius second book.htm

Subject Index
... Subject Index. ??on, meaning of the term, [1]316 ... Beast, the, [157]557. Bel and the
Dragon, [158]467. ... Christ is King of, [1292]267. applied to Christ, [1293]262. ...
/.../irenaeus/fragments from the lost writings of irenaeus/subject index.htm

A Discourse
... or place of fortification and defence; the same term that is ... Revelation 12:1). And
yet now the dragon stood by ... cannot, I think, be more fitly applied than to ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... And Pythagoras the Great always applied his mind to ... accordingly, that the Phrygians
use this term with a ... in the apocryphal book, "Bel and the Dragon, or Serpent ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... what Satan's religion means as they "worship the Dragon.". ... both are shown and may
well be applied to the ... The term kings and kingdoms are used interchangeably in ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... on the Egyptian monuments, to give permanence to the glory of Pharaoh and the ... The
same process was applied to other signs with similar results: after having ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Homilies on the Gospel of John.
... 748]114; does not make war on his own kind as malicious men, [749]130; flies from
the mysteries, [750]167; called a wolf, a lion, a serpent, a dragon, [751]215 ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homilies on the gospel of.htm