In this work, which could only be published posthumously due to a royal printing ban, the author contrasts the biblical sea monster Leviathan, which in Hobbes' eponymous main work represents the absolute power of the state, with the land monster Behemoth from Jewish mythology. The Long Parliament existed officially from 1640 to 1660, in contrast to the Short Parliament, which sat for only 22 days, starting on April 13, 1640. This is the period that Hobbes addresses in his Behemoth. While the Leviathan systematically elaborates on the conditions necessary for a functioning state, the Behemoth discusses the reasons for the decline of the English state brought about by insurrection and civil war. Behemoth or the Long Parliament serves as a cipher for anarchy and the dissolution of state power. The title and content of the work seem to reflect this.