serpent Summary and Overview

(Heb. nahash; Gr. ophis), frequently noticed in Scripture. More than forty species are found in Syria and Arabia. The poisonous character of the serpent is alluded to in Jacob's blessing on Dan (Gen. 49:17; see Prov. 30:18, 19; James 3:7; Jer. 8:17). (See ADDER T0000085.) This word is used symbolically of a deadly, subtle, malicious enemy (Luke 10:19). The serpent is first mentioned in connection with the history of the temptation and fall of our first parents (Gen. 3). It has been well remarked regarding this temptation: "A real serpent was the agent of the temptation, as is plain from what is said of the natural characteristic of the serpent in the first verse of the chapter (3:1), and from the curse pronounced upon the animal itself. But that Satan was the actual tempter, and that he used the serpent merely as his instrument, is evident (1) from the nature of the transaction; for although the serpent may be the most subtle of all the beasts of the field, yet he has not the high intellectual faculties which the tempter here displayed. (2.) In the New Testament it is both directly asserted and in various forms assumed that Satan seduced our first parents into sin (John 8:44; Rom. 16:20; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14; Rev. 12:9; 20:2)." Hodge's System. Theol., ii. 127.

The Hebrew word nachash is the generic name of any serpent. The following are the principal biblical allusions to this animal its subtlety is mentioned in #Ge 3:1| its wisdom is alluded to by our Lord in #Mt 10:18| the poisonous properties of some species are often mentioned, see #Ps 58:4; Pr 25:32| the sharp tongue of the serpent is mentioned in #Ps 140:3; Job 20:16| the habit serpents have of lying concealed in hedges and in holes of walls is alluded to in #Ec 10:8| their dwelling in dry sandy places, in #De 8:10| their wonderful mode of progression did not escape the observation of the author of #Pr 30:1| ... who expressly mentions it as "one of the three things which were too wonderful for him." ver. 19. The art of taming and charming serpents is of great antiquity, and is alluded to in #Ps 58:5; Ec 10:11; Jer 8:17| and doubtless intimated by St. James, #Jas 3:7| who particularizes serpents among all other animals that "have been tamed by man." It was under the form of a serpent that the devil seduced Eve; hence in Scripture Satan is called "the old serpent." #Re 12:9| and comp. 2Cor 11:3 Hence, as a fruit of the tradition of the Fall, the serpent all through the East became the emblem of the spirit of evil, and is so pictured even on the monuments of Egypt. It has been supposed by many commentators that the serpent, prior to the Fall, moved along in an erect attitude. It is quite clear that an erect mode of progression is utterly incompatible with the structure of a serpent; consequently, had the snakes before the Fall moved in an erect attitude they must have been formed on a different plan altogether. The typical form of the serpent and its mode of progression were in all probability the same before: the Fall as after it; but subsequent to the Fall its form and progression were to be regarded with hatred and disgust by all mankind, and thus the animal was cursed above all cattle," and a mark of condemnation was forever stamped upon it. Serpents are said in Scripture to "eat dust," see #Ge 3:14; Isa 65:25; Mic 7:17| these animals which for the most part take their food on the ground, do consequently swallow with it large portions of sand and dust. Throughout the East the serpent was used as an emblem of the evil principle, of the spirit of disobedience and contumacy. Much has been written on the question of the "fiery serpents" of #Nu 21:6,8| with which it is usual to erroneously identify the "fiery flying serpent" of #Isa 14:29| and Isai 30:6 The word "fiery" probably signifies "burning," in allusion to the sensation produced by the bite. The Cerastes, or the Naia haje, or any other venomous species frequenting Arabia, may denote the "serpent of the burning bite" which destroyed the children of Israel. The snake that fastened on St. Paul's hand when he was at Melita, #Ac 28:5| was probably the common viper of England, Pelias berus. (See also ADDER; ASP] When God punished the murmurs of the Israelites in the wilderness by sending among them serpents whose fiery bite was fatal, Moses, upon their repentance, was commanded to make a serpent of brass, whose polished surface shone like fire, and to set it up on the banner-pole in the midst of the people; and whoever was bitten by a serpent had but to look up at it and live. #Nu 21:4-9| The comparison used by Christ, #Joh 3:14,15| adds a deep interest to this scene. To present the serpent form, as deprived of its power to hurt, impaled as the trophy of a conqueror was to assert that evil, physical and spiritual, had been overcome, and thus help to strengthen the weak faith of the Israelites in a victory over both. Others look upon the uplifted serpent as a symbol of life and health, it having been so worshipped in Egypt. The two views have a point of contact, for the serpent is wisdom. Wisdom, apart from obedience to God, degenerates to cunning, and degrades and envenoms man's nature. Wisdom, yielding to the divine law, is the source of healing and restoring influences, and the serpent form thus became a symbol of deliverance and health; and the Israelites were taught that it would be so with them in proportion as they ceased to be sensual and rebellious. Preserved as a relic, whether on the spot of its first erection or elsewhere the brazen serpent, called by the name of Nehushtan, became an object of idolatrous veneration, and the zeal of Hezekiah destroyed it with the other idols of his father. #2Ki 18:4| [NEHUSHTAN]

SER'PENT . In its ordinary scriptural use, this word does not denote any definite species, but snakes as a class, or some one or more kinds made definite by the context. The serpent is a creature distinguished for its subtility, Gen 3:1, and wisdom in avoiding danger. Matt 10:16, as well as for the instinctive dread which it inspires in man and most animals. About one-sixth of all the species known are venomous. The devil is called "the serpent" and "the old serpent," Rev 12:9, 2 Kgs 22:14, 2 Sam 20:15, probably in allusion to his subtility and malice, and also to the fact that in tempting our first parents to disobey God he employed a serpent or assumed the form of one. 2 Cor 11:3. The serpent is used by the sacred writers as an emblem of wickedness. Matt 23:33, cruelty, Ps 58:4; Prov 23:32; Eccl 10:11, and treachery. Gen 49:17. There is allusion to the art of taming and charming these reptiles in Ps 58:5; Eccl 10:11; Jer 8:17; Jas 3:7. Eating dust is ascribed to it, Gen 3:14; Isa 65:25; Mic 7:17, because it is swallowed by the serpent with its food, or the expression is figurative for its life in the dust. There is no reason to suppose that this creature was able to go otherwise than on its belly before the fall, but subsequent to that event its normal mode of progression was constituted a mark of condemnation. The worship of these reptiles is very common in India and other parts of the Old World, and probably originated, in part at least, from fear of the more venomous and powerful kinds. "It was probably from a tradition of the instrumentality of the serpent in the fall of man that it was used throughout the East as an emblem of the spirit of disobedience and of the evil spirit. The doctrine of Zoroaster - that the evil one, in the guise of a serpent, first taught men to sin - is a plain tradition of the history of the fall. "To this we may add that on the monuments of Egypt there not unfrequently occurs the figure of a man in regal costume (probably an incarnate deity) piercing with a spear the head of a large serpent - remarkably suggestive of a tradition of the prophecy that 'the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head.'" - Tristrim. The sacred symbol of the globe and serpent is found on almost all the monuments of Egypt, See Adder, Asp, Cockatrice, Viper.

nachash. ("Subtle".) (Genesis 3:1). The form under which Satan "the old serpent" tempted Eve (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3). The serpent being known as subtle, Eve was not surprised at his speaking, and did not suspect a spiritual foe. Its crested head of pride, glittering skin, fascinating, unshaded, gazing eye, shameless lust, tortuous movement, venomous bite, groveling posture, all adapt it to be type of Satan. The "cunning craftiness, lying in wait to deceive," marks the particular serpent rather than the serpent order generally. The serpent cannot be classed physically with the behemoth, the pachyderm and ruminant animals; "the serpent was crafty above every behemoth in the field" (Genesis 3:1); nor physically is the serpent "cursed above others"; it must be Satan who is meant. (See DEVIL.) Wise in shunning danger (Matthew 10:16). Poisonous: Psalm 58:4; Psalm 140:3, "they have sharpened their tongues" to give a deadly wound, "like a serpent" (Psalm 64:3). Lying hid in hedges (Ecclesiastes 10:8) and in holes of walls (Amos 5:19). Their wonderful motion is effected by the vertebral column and the multitudinous ribs which form so many pairs of levers, enabling them to advance (Proverbs 30:19); the serpent, though without feet or wings, trails along the rock (stony places being its favorite resort) wheresoever it will, leaving no impression of its way, light, gliding without noise, quick, and the mode unknown to us. The curse in Genesis 3:14 is mainly on Satan, but subordinately on the serpent his tool; just as the ox that gored a man was to be killed, so the serpent should suffer in his trailing on the belly and being the object of man's disgust and enmity. They shall eat the dust at last (i.e. be utterly and with perpetual shame laid low), of which their present eating dust in taking food off the ground is the pledge (Isaiah 65:25; Micah 7:17; Isaiah 49:23; Psalm 72:9). The nachash is the Naja haje. It "will bite without (i.e. unless you use) enchantment" (Ecclesiastes 10:11). In Numbers 21:4-9 the "fiery (causing inflammation by the bite) flying serpent" is the naja, which has the power of raising and bringing forward the ribs under excitement, so as to stretch the skin wing-like into a broad thin flattened disc, three or four times the width of the neck in repose, and then dart at its prey. Hindu mythology represents Krishna first as bitten in the foot, then as finally crushing the serpent's head beneath his feet; evidently a tradition from Genesis 3:15.