Dictionary Article

A snake or sea monster. Various words are used in the Bible for serpents or snakes. In general, the serpent belongs to a class of reptiles often characterized by their ability to wound by striking or biting and then poisoning with venom. There are particular kinds of snakes mentioned in the Bible, such as the adder (Is 11:8) and the viper (Acts 28:3). “Serpent” also denotes the monstrous sea serpent mentioned in Job 26:13, Isaiah 27:1, and Amos 9:3.

Show passage in OET: ISA 11:8

OET-RV ISA 11:8

8 A child will play over the cobra’s hole,
⇔ ≈ and the toddler will stretch his hand over the viper’s nest.

OET-LV ISA 11:8

8 And_ a _sucking _child _he _will _play over the_hole _of a _cobra and_over the_nest _of a _viper a _weaned_child his/its_hand he _will _put _out.

Show passage in OET: ACT 28:3

OET-RV ACT 28:3

3 However when Paulos was helping to pick up sticks and putting them on the fire, a viper was driven out by the heat and clamped its jaws down on his hand.

OET-LV ACT 28:3

3 But the Paulos having _gathered some multitude of _sticks, and having _laid _on them on the fire, a_viper having _come _out from the heat, clamped _down on _the hand of _him.

Show passage in OET: JOB 26:13

OET-RV JOB 26:13

13 By his breath he makes the skies clear.
⇔ His hand pierced the fleeing snake.

OET-LV JOB 26:13

13 By_wind _of_his the_heavens are_clearness his/its_hand it _pierced the_snake fleeing.

Show passage in OET: ISA 27:1

OET-RV ISA 27:1

27 At that time, Yahweh will use his extremely powerful sword,
⇔ to punish the slithering sea monster Livyatan—Livyatan the twisting snake-like creature,
⇔ and he’ll kill the monster that’s in the ocean.

OET-LV ISA 27:1

27 In _the_day (the)_that YHWH he _will _visit_judgement with_sword _of_his (the)_fierce and_(the)_great and_(the)_mighty on Livyātān a _snake fleeing and_on Livyātān a _snake twisting and_he _will _slay DOM the _sea_monster which is_in_sea.

Show passage in OET: AMO 9:3

OET-RV AMO 9:3

3 Even if they hide on the top of Mt. Karmel, I’ll search there and take them.
⇔ ≈ Though they’re hidden from my sight at the bottom of the sea, I’ll give orders to the serpent there to bite them.

OET-LV AMO 9:3

3 And_if they _will _hide _themselves on_the _top _of (the)_Karmel/(Carmel) from_there I _will _search _for_them and_I_will _take _them and_if they _will _hide _themselves from_before eyes _of_my at_the _bottom _of the_sea from_there I _will _command DOM the_snake and_it_will _bite _them.

Jump to OET ISA 11:8 section.

Jump to OET ACT 28:3 section.

Jump to OET JOB 26:13 section.

Jump to OET ISA 27:1 section.

Jump to OET AMO 9:3 section.

In Genesis 3:1 the temptation that came to Adam and Eve is described as coming through the serpent, that “shrewdest of all the creatures the Lord God had made” (NLT). And in consequence of this, he was told, “You will grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly” (Gn 3:14, NLT). Reference is made in 2 Corinthians 11:3 to the fact that the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, and Revelation 12:9 speaks of the “ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world” (rsv; see also Rv 12:14-15 and 20:2).

Show passage in OET: GEN 3:1

OET-RV GEN 3:1

3 Now the snake was the craftiest of all the wild animals that Yahweh God had created, and one day he asked the woman, “Did God really command you to not eat fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

OET-LV GEN 3:1

3 And_the_snake it _was crafty from_all (the)_animal _of the_field which YHWH god he _had _made and_he/it _said to the_woman also if/because god did _he _say not you(pl)_must _eat from_all (the)_tree _of the_garden.

Show passage in OET: GEN 3:14

OET-RV GEN 3:14

14 Then Yahweh God said to the snake,
⇔ “Because you’ve done this you’ll be cursed more than all the livestock,
⇔ and more than every wild animal.
⇔ Now you’ll move along on your belly,
⇔ and you’ll eat dust all the rest of your life.

OET-LV GEN 3:14

14 And_ YHWH god _he/it _said to the_snake if/because you _have _done this you are_cursed from_all the_cattle/livestock and_from_all (the)_animal _of the_field on your(ms)_belly/abdomen you _will _go and_dust you _will _eat all _of the _days _of your(ms)_life.

Show passage in OET: CO2 11:3

OET-RV CO2 11:3

3 But I’m afraid that just as the crafty serpent somehow deceived Havah (Eve), your thinking might get corrupted from its sincerity and purity in the messiah.

OET-LV CO2 11:3

3 But I _am _fearing, lest somehow as the serpent deceived Heua/(Ḩavvāh) in the craftiness of _him, it _may _be _corrupted the thinking of _you _all from the sincerity and the purity which in the chosen _one /messiah.

Show passage in OET: REV 12:9

OET-RV REV 12:9

9 Thus the huge dinosaur was thrown out—that ancient snake called ‘the devil’ and ‘Satan’—the one who deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his messengers were thrown down with him.

OET-LV REV 12:9

9 And was _thrown down the dragon the serpent the great, the ancient, who being _called, the_false _accuser, and the Satan/(Sāţān), the one deceiving the inhabited _world whole, he _was _thrown down on the earth, and the messengers of _him with him were _throw down.

Show passage in OET: REV 12:14–15

OET-RV REV 12:14

14 But two large, eagle wings were given to the woman so that she could fly away to the wilderness, to her place where she’ll be nourished away from the snake for three and a half years.

OET-RV REV 12:15

15 Then the snake poured water out of his mouth like a river towards the woman so that the current would sweep her away,

OET-LV REV 12:14

14 And were _given to _the two woman wings of _the eagle the great, in _order _that she _may _be _flying into the wilderness into the place of _her, where she _is _being _nourished there a_time, and times, and a_half of_a_time, from the_face of _the serpent.

OET-LV REV 12:15

15 And throw the serpent out _of the mouth of _him after the woman, water as a_river, in _order _that her a_flood may _make.

Show passage in OET: REV 20:2

OET-RV REV 20:2

2 and he seized the dinosaur, that ancient snake, who is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years.

OET-LV REV 20:2

2 And he _apprehended the dragon, the serpent the ancient, who is the_false _accuser and the Satan/(Sāţān), and he _bound him for_a_thousand years,

Jump to OET GEN 3:1 section.

Jump to OET GEN 3:14 section.

Jump to OET CO2 11:3 section.

Jump to OET REV 12:9 section.

Jump to OET REV 12:14–15 section.

Jump to OET REV 20:2 section.

Most of the biblical references to serpents or snakes allude (in figurative application) to the ability of the snake to bite and to poison with venom (e.g., Gn 49:17; Eccl 10:8, 11 OET ECC 10:8 · OET ECC 10:11; Is 14:29; Am 5:19; Rv 9:19). In Psalm 58:4-5 the wicked are likened to snakes. In Psalm 140:3, people’s tongues are also spoken of as being as sharp as a serpent’s, and their lips as poisonous as vipers. In Proverbs 23:32 it is said that strong drink “bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper” (NLT). Then in Jeremiah 8:17 the enemies of Israel are spoken of as coming, in God’s judgment against his people, as “poisonous snakes you cannot charm. No matter what you do, they will bite you, and you will die” (NLT).

Show passage in OET: GEN 49:17

OET-RV GEN 49:17

17 He’ll be a snake beside the road,
⇔ ≈ a viper on the path,
⇔ that bites a horse’s heels
⇔ and its rider falls backwards.

OET-LV GEN 49:17

17 May _he _be Dān a _snake on a _road a _viper on a _path which_bites the_heels _of a _horse and_ rider _of_its _he _fell backwards.

Show passage in OET: ECC 10:8; ECC 10:11

OET-RV ECC 10:8

8 A person who digs a pit can fall into it,
⇔ ≈ and an attacker who breaks through a wall gets bitten by a snake.

OET-RV ECC 10:11

11 If a snake bites before it’s charmed,
⇔ the snake charmer won’t be able to charge for the show.

OET-LV ECC 10:8

8 one _who_digs a _pit in/on/over_him/it he _will _fall and_one _who_breaks _through a _wall it_will _bite _him a _snake.

OET-LV ECC 10:11

11 If the_snake it _will _bite with_not charming and_there_is_not advantage for_the _master _of the _tongue.

Show passage in OET: ISA 14:29

OET-RV ISA 14:29

29 All you Pelishtim, don’t celebrate that the rod that struck you is now broken,
⇔ because out of the root of that snake, a viper will grow,
⇔ and its result will be a darting adder.

OET-LV ISA 14:29

29 Do _not rejoice Oh _Pəleshet of _you _of_all if/because _that the _rod of_the_one _who_struck _you it _has _been _broken if/because from_the_root _of a _snake a _viper it _will _go _forth and_fruit _of_its will _be_a _serpent flying.

Show passage in OET: AMO 5:19

OET-RV AMO 5:19

19 like when a person flees from a lion and then they run into a bear,
⇔ ≈ or when a person goes in a house and puts a hand on the wall and gets bitten by a snake.

OET-LV AMO 5:19

19 Just_as someone he _flees from_face/in _front _of the_lion and_it_meets _him the_bear and_he _goes the_house and_he _leans his/its_hand on the_wall and_it_bites _him the_snake.

Show passage in OET: REV 9:19

OET-RV REV 9:19

19 because the horses’ power is in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that injure people.

OET-LV REV 9:19

19 For/Because the power of _the horses in the mouth of _them is and in the tails of _them, because/for the tails of _them are similar to _serpents, having heads, and with them they _are _injuring.

Show passage in OET: PSA 58:4–5

OET-RV PSA 58:4

4 Their poison is like snake venom.
⇔ ≈ They’re like a deaf cobra that blocks its own ears

OET-RV PSA 58:5

5 then pays no attention to the snake-charmer’s voice
⇔ no matter how skillful they are.

OET-LV PSA 58:5

5  Venom _of them is_like_the_likeness _of the_venom _of a _snake like a _cobra deaf which_it _shuts ear _of_its.

OET-LV PSA 58:6

6  Which not it _listens to_sound/voice charmers one _who_throws _of spells skillful.

Show passage in OET: PSA 140:3

OET-RV PSA 140:3

3 They sharpen their tongues like snakes.
⇔ ≈ Vipers’ poison is on their lips. (Instrumental break.)

OET-LV PSA 140:4

4  They _sharpen tongue _of_their like a _snake the_venom _of a _viper is_under lips _of_their Şelāh.

Show passage in OET: PRO 23:32

OET-RV PRO 23:32

32 → In the end it bites like a snake,
⇔ ≈ and stings like a viper.

OET-LV PRO 23:32

32 End _of_its like_a _snake it _will _bite and_like_a _viper it _will _sting.

Show passage in OET: JER 8:17

OET-RV JER 8:17

17 Yes, listen, I’ll send snakes among you all—
⇔ ≈ vipers that can’t be charmed,
⇔ → and they’ll bite you all, says Yahweh.

OET-LV JER 8:17

17 If/because HERE_I am_about _to _send among_you(pl) snakes vipers which there_is_not to/for_them charming and_they _will _bite you(pl) the _utterance _of YHWH.

Jump to OET GEN 49:17 section.

Jump to OET ECC 10:8 section. · OET ECC 10:11 section.

Jump to OET ISA 14:29 section.

Jump to OET AMO 5:19 section.

Jump to OET REV 9:19 section.

Jump to OET PSA 58:4–5 section.

Jump to OET PSA 140:3 section.

Jump to OET PRO 23:32 section.

Jump to OET JER 8:17 section.

Positively, the serpent is seen to have great wisdom as the “craftiest” of creatures. And so we have the words of Jesus to his disciples, “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Mt 10:16). But the primary image is negative. The serpent is a symbol of deceit. Thus, Jesus addressed the scribes and Pharisees as “Snakes! Sons of vipers!” (23:33). John the Baptist also addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees with the words “You sons of snakes!” (3:7). See Animals.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary