SNAKE
Snake
Snake. A snake is the Bible’s first– and final– animal villain (Genesis 3; Rev 20:2). Throughout the Old and New Testaments, several different words for snake or serpent appear some 20 times. Scholars can only make educated guesses as to which of Palestine’s many species of snakes are meant in most verses.
The asp and adder are both common in the Holy Land. The asp is a type of cobra with its familiar hood, although its hood is not as pronounced as the Indian cobra’s. There is also a desert cobra, which has no hood at all. Adder and viper are two different words for the same deadly snake. A horned viper and sawscale, or carpet viper, are native to Israel. Another species mentioned in the Bible is the sand viper ( Isa 30:6), (NEB).
In the wilderness, the Israelites were plagued by fiery serpents ( Num 21:6). “Fiery” may indicate the burning fever caused by their bite. Or it may refer to the puff adder, which has yellow, flame-like markings. The cockatrice of the KJV was a mythological monster. It had the wings and head of a cock and the tail of a dragon. According to the superstitious legend about this animal, its look could kill.
Most snakes in Palestine were non-poisonous, but the Jewish people feared and hated all snakes. In the Bible the serpent is often referred to as the symbol of evil and wrongdoing ( Psa 140:3; Jer 8:17).
In spite of this attitude among the Jews, some of Israel’s neighbors associated serpents with health, life, and immortality. The kingdom of Lower Egypt took the cobra as its official symbol. Even Moses once lifted up a BRONZE SERPENT before the Israelites at God’s command to save the people from the fiery serpents in the wilderness ( Num 21:9). Some continued to worship that bronze serpent until King Hezekiah destroyed it generations later ( 2Ki 18:4).
Snakes are fascinating creatures. Scales on their undersides provide traction. Their forked tongues flick rapidly in and out to collect sensations of touch and smell. ( Psa 58:4) is correct in speaking of the “deaf cobra,” since snakes have no ears to receive sound waves. Like deaf persons, they rely on physical vibrations to pick up sounds. Thus cobras are not charmed by music, but by movement.
A snake’s spine may contain as many as 300 tiny vertebrae. This gives them their amazing flexibility to coil and curve. Their mouths are hinged to permit them to swallow and eat creatures much larger than themselves. Their eyes are protected by transparent lids which are always open, causing scientists to wonder if snakes ever sleep.
Fuente: Plants Animals Of Bible
Snake
(, A.V. serpent), a creature found in Palestine (Robinson saw some there six feet long [Bibl. Res. 2, 154]), but still more abundantly in the neighboring countries, especially Egypt (Ammian. Marcell. 22, 15; p. 324 ed. Bip.) and Arabia (Herod. 2, 75; 3, 109; Aelian, Anim. 2, 38; Strabo, 16, 759, 778; Diod. Sic. 3, 47; Agatharc. in Phot. Cod. 250, p. 1376; comp. Num 21:6 sq.; Isa 30:6; see Prosp. Alpin. Rer. AEgypt. 4, 4; Burckhardt, Trav. 2, 814; Tischendorf, Reise, 1, 261; Russell, Aleppo, 2, 120 sq.; Schubert, 3, 120; Forskal, Descr. Anim. p. 13 sq.); sometimes in the deserts, frequently of poisonous species. They belonged to unclean animals according to the Mosaic classification (Lev 11:10; Lev 11:41 sq.). The scientific investigation of the different species in the East is not sufficiently accurate to enable us to determine with any certainty the various kinds mentioned in Scripture. SEE SERPENT.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
SNAKE
Snakes were widespread throughout the Palestine region. Because of their poisonous bites and cunning habits, they were often spoken of as a picture of wicked people and wicked deeds (Gen 49:17; Deu 32:33; Psa 58:4; Psa 140:3; Jer 46:22; Mat 3:7; Mat 12:34; 2Co 11:3). The most striking use of the snake as a picture of one who is evil is in reference to the Devil, Satan, who is called that ancient snake (Rev 12:9; cf. Rev 3:1; cf. Rev 3:14-15).
Some kinds of snakes were used by charmers and magicians in performing tricks (Ecc 10:11). It seems that Egyptian magicians hypnotized snakes to stiffen them, and in this way could imitate Aarons miracle of turning a stick into a snake. But Aaron showed that his actions were miracles, not tricks, when his snake swallowed up those of the magicians (Exo 7:8-12; cf. Exo 4:2-4).
On the journey from Egypt to Canaan, God punished his rebellious people with a plague of desert snakes whose bite produced burning pains and even death. When Moses prayed for the people, God replied by promising to heal those who stopped their complaining and demonstrated their trust in him by looking on a bronze snake that he had commanded Moses to make (Num 21:4-9; Joh 3:14-15; 1Co 10:9). This bronze snake later became an object of worship and had to be destroyed (2Ki 18:4).