Dinosaurs: (Mis)interpreting Genesis: How the Creation Museum Misunderstands the Near Eastern Context of the Bible, by Ben Stanhope

I have recently read the book that has the same title as this post. (I'll call it Stanhope throughout the rest of this post. I'll also call the author Stanhope. I think you can figure out which is meant, if both aren't.)

Amazon allows for reviews. There are many, mostly five stars (out of five), and an occasional four stars of Stanhope. There is one one-star review. The author of that review complains that Stanhope doesn't have a doctorate, whereas Jason Lisle, of Answers in Genesis (AiG) has a doctorate. I looked up Lisle, and, sure enough, he has a doctorate in astronomy. Stanhope does refer to Lisle, a little, but argues strongly against the positions Lisle takes. Lisle has little or no expertise in the subject matter of Stanhope. Stanhope, doctorate or not, seems to have a firm grasp of his subject  matter.

Here's a review by a person with expertise in ancient near eastern languages. It is highly complimentary. 

Stanhope criticizes AiG publications and positions. And his criticism is based on analysis of the manuscripts used to construct the Bible. (As he says, most of these  manuscripts, and other original source materials, have not been available until the last 150 years or so.)

What does Stanhope criticize?

Dinosaurs

First, he demolishes claims, by AiG, that there were dinosaurs alive in Bible times. He does so by examining the texts carefully. Ken Ham, of AiG, claims that Job 41 mentions Leviathan, and that Leviathan was a dinosaur. (See also Job 3, Psalm 74, 104, and Isaiah 27. A similar claim is made for Behemoth, mentioned in Job 40.) Stanhope finds other, better ways to interpret these passages.

Why does AiG insist upon dinosaurs in historical times? Well, I guess they believe they existed. But there is another reason. If, as they claim, the earth is only about 6000 years old, the plausibility of dinosaurs in historical time is much higher than it would be if the earth were very old. Conversely, if dinosaurs were around in historical times, that's evidence for a young earth. And there's another reason. Dinosaurs attract people to the Creation Museum, to AiG literature, and to AiG presentations in churches.

Stanhope analyzes AiG claims that there were unicorns mentioned in the Bible (They are, if you are using the King James version -- Deuteronomy33:17, Job 30:10, Psalm 29:6 and Psalm 92:10.) Stanhope demolishes these claims. He does the same for AiG claims that there are flying reptiles mentioned in the Bible. (Isaiah 30:6, and possibly other places.)

Genesis 1:1 

Stanhope spends several chapters to argue that Genesis 1:1 is usually mistranslated, and should say something like "in the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth," with more thoughts to follow, in the same sentence. Stanhope may be right, but I only found one English translation of the Bible that translates Genesis 1:1 like this, and I'd never heard of this translation before.

I found Stanhope to be helpful, perhaps because he supports my view of dinosaurs in the Old Testament, but mostly because he seems to have solid knowledge of Biblical Hebrew.

Thanks for reading. (Edited for clarity on October 4, 2023)