Serpent, snake

(Gen. 3:1) — a creeping animal, distinguished by its cunning (Matt. 10:16), as well as by the panic fear it inspires in men and animals. More than 600 species of this creeping thing are known, most of which are indeed formidable in their strength and venom. The devil is called the serpent and the old serpent (Rev. 12:9, 14, 15), probably to indicate his cunning and malice, and also the fact that, in tempting Eve to taste the forbidden fruit and break her duty of obedience to God, he took upon himself the form of a serpent, in which form he is described in Holy Scripture (Gen. 3:1ff.; 2 Cor. 11:3).

The serpent serves the sacred writers as an emblem of malice (Matt. 23:33), of ferocity (Ps. 58:4 [57:5]; Prov. 23:32), and of cunning (Gen. 49:17). The charming of serpents, especially by the Arabs, dates from the most remote antiquity and can still be seen to this day in the bazaars and streets of Cairo and other cities of the East, well known to every traveler in the East. “Their poison is like the poison of a serpent… which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely,” says the Psalmist of unrighteous judges (Ps. 58:4, 5 [57:5, 6]).

“For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed,” says the LORD (Jer. 8:17). In Holy Scripture the following kinds of serpents are chiefly mentioned: the asp (Ps. 140:3 [139:4]), the deaf asp (Ps. 58:4, 5 [57:5, 6]), the cockatrice (Ps. 91:13 [90:13]), the dragon (Isa. 14:29), the flying serpent (the word “flying” probably indicates the swiftness and suddenness of this species’ movements and attacks) (Isa. 34:15), and the viper (Isa. 59:5; Matt. 3:7; 12:34, and elsewhere). See under the corresponding words.