In the solitude of the desert David had opportunities of displaying his extraordinary physical strength. One day he slew four lions and three bears, though he had no weapons. His most serious adventure was with the reem. David encountered the mammoth beast asleep, and taking it for a mountain, he began to ascend it. Suddenly the reem awoke, and David found himself high up in the air on its horns. He vowed, if he were rescued, to build a temple to God one hundred ells in height, as high as the horns of the reem. Thereupon God sent a lion. The king of beasts inspired even the reem with awe. The reem prostrated himself, and David could easily descend from his perch. At that moment a deer appeared. The lion pursued after him, and David was saved from the lion as well as the reem.
בששי הוציא מן הארץ בהמות שהוא רבוץ בהררי אלף ובכל יום ויום באלף הרים מרעיתו ובלילה הן נצמחין מאליהן כאילו לא נגע בם שנ' כי בול הרים ישאו לו ומימי הירדן להשקותו שמימי הירדן סובבין לכל הארץ חציין למעלה מן הארץ וחציין למטה מן הארץ שנ' כי יגיח ירדן אל פיהו והוא מוכן ליום זבח וסעודה גדולה של צדיקים שנ' העשו יגש חרבו.
On the sixth day He brought forth from the earth a beast (Behemoth) which lies stretched out on a thousand hills and every day has its pasture on a thousand hills, and overnight (the verdure) grows of its own account as though he had not touched it, as it is said, "Surely the mountains bring him forth food" (Job 40:20). The waters of the Jordan give him water to drink, for the waters of the Jordan surround all the earth, half thereof (flow) above the earth and the other half below the earth, as it is said, "He is confident, though Jordan swell even to his mouth" (ibid. 23). This (creature) is destined for the day of sacrifice, for the great banquet of the righteous, as it is said, "He only that made him can make his sword to approach unto him" (ibid. 19).
