660. epheh

Lexicon

epheh: Viper, Adder

Original Word: אֶפְעֶה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: eph`eh
Pronunciation: eh-feh
Phonetic Spelling: (ef-eh')
Definition: Viper, Adder
Meaning: an asp, other venomous serpent

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

viper

From epha' (in the sense of hissing); an asp or other venomous serpent -- viper.

see HEBREW epha'

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from paah
Definition
(a kind of) viper
NASB Translation
snake (1), viper (1), viper's (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אֶפְעֶה noun [masculine] a kind of viper (Thes 'a flando et sibilando;' compare Arabic viper, Ethiopic id.); — ׳א Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 59:5, ׳לְשׁוֺן א Job 20:16.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to hiss.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G785 (ἀσπίς, aspis): Refers to a type of venomous snake, often translated as "asp" in English.
• G935 (βασιλίσκος, basiliskos): A term used for a mythical serpent or dragon, sometimes translated as "basilisk" or "king serpent."
• G1795 (ἐχίδνα, echidna): Refers to a viper or adder, a venomous snake.
• G3789 (ὄφις, ophis): A general term for a serpent or snake, often used metaphorically in the New Testament.

Usage: The term אֶפְעֶה is used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to a type of venomous snake, often associated with danger and treachery. It is typically translated as "asp" or "viper" in English translations.

Context: The Hebrew word אֶפְעֶה (eph'eh) appears in several passages of the Old Testament, where it is used to describe a venomous serpent. This term is often associated with the imagery of danger and deceit, reflecting the characteristics of the snake as a creature that strikes unexpectedly and with deadly effect. In the ancient Near Eastern context, serpents were commonly seen as symbols of evil and chaos, and the biblical usage of אֶפְעֶה aligns with this cultural understanding.

In Isaiah 30:6, the word is used in a prophecy against the rebellious people of Judah, warning them of the dangers that lie in the wilderness: "The burden against the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and roaring lions, of vipers and flying serpents, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people who will not profit them."

Similarly, in Isaiah 59:5, the term is used metaphorically to describe the wickedness and deceit of the people: "They hatch viper’s eggs and weave spider’s webs. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched."

The imagery of the אֶפְעֶה serves to emphasize the themes of danger, judgment, and the consequences of sin throughout the biblical narrative. The use of this term in prophetic literature underscores the seriousness of the warnings being delivered and the need for repentance and reliance on God for protection and deliverance.

Forms and Transliterations

אֶפְעֶֽה׃ אֶפְעֶה֙ אפעה אפעה׃ ’ep̄‘eh ’ep̄·‘eh efEh

Englishman's Concordance

Job 20:16
HEB: תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ לְשׁ֣וֹן אֶפְעֶֽה׃
NAS: of cobras; The viper's tongue
KJV: of asps: the viper's tongue
INT: slays tongue the viper's

Isaiah 30:6
HEB: וָלַ֣יִשׁ מֵהֶ֗ם אֶפְעֶה֙ וְשָׂרָ֣ף מְעוֹפֵ֔ף
NAS: and lion, viper and flying
KJV: and old lion, the viper and fiery
INT: and lion where viper serpent and flying

Isaiah 59:5
HEB: וְהַזּוּרֶ֖ה תִּבָּקַ֥ע אֶפְעֶֽה׃
NAS: And [from] that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.
KJV: breaketh out into a viper.
INT: is crushed breaks A snake

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 660
3 Occurrences

’ep̄·‘eh — 3 Occ.