Targum Psalm 104:26

Targum

24 How many are your works, O Lord! You have made all of them in wisdom; the earth is full of your possessions. 25 This sea is great and broad in extent; creeping things are there without number, both tiny creatures and large. 26 There the ships go about, [and] this Leviathan you created for the sport of the righteous at the supper of his dwelling place. 27 All of them rely on you to give their food in its time. 28 You will give it to them, and they gather it; you will open your hand, and they are satisfied with goodness.

Pesikta D'Rav Kahanna Supp. 2:4

Midrash
Rabbinic

He maketh a path to shine after him; he thinks to grow hoary in the deep (Job 41:24). Because his dwelling in the sea is over the deep, he believes that there he will continue to live safely, as is said He thinks to grow hoary in the deep. What will the Holy One do about it? He will bring Behemoth to Leviathan, and they will engage in close combat with each other, as is said One is so close to the other, that no air (ruah) can come between them (Job 41:8). Read not ruah, “air,” but rewah, “space”: [there is no space between them]. Or, the words no air can come between them refer to the ministering angels who are called “airy winds,” as in the verse “Who makest winds Thine angels” (Ps. 104:4): [hence not even ethereal angels can come between them]. Behemoth and Leviathan will be joined to each other, as is said They are joined one to another (Job 41:9). And once joined they will not be sundered, as is said They stick together, that they cannot be sundered (ibid.). What will the Holy One then do? He will signal to Leviathan, who thereupon will strike Behemoth with his fins and thus slaughter him; at the same time He will signal to Behemoth who will strike Leviathan with his tail and slay him.

 Notes and References

"... The Targum on Psalms 104:25-26 appears also to be familiar with the theme of the eschatological contest, when it describes how Leviathan was created in order to “sport” at the banquet of the righteous. The midrashim is also familiar with this motif. From Leviticus Rabbah 13:3, one learns ... Pesikta de Rav Kahana (Sup. II.4) also knows about the eschatological fight between the two biblical monsters ..."

Orlov, Andrei Fight between Leviathan and Behemoth in the Messianic Time (pp. 1-12) Marquette University, 2022

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