The term "asp" refers to a venomous snake mentioned in the Bible, often associated with danger and death. The asp is believed to be a type of cobra, specifically the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje), which was common in the regions of ancient Egypt and the Near East. In biblical literature, the asp symbolizes deadly threat and is used metaphorically to describe the wickedness and deceitfulness of evil people.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 91:13 : "You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent." In this verse, the asp is translated as "cobra," representing a dangerous creature that the faithful will overcome through divine protection. The imagery of treading upon the asp signifies victory over peril and evil through God's power.

2. Isaiah 11:8 : "The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest." Here, the asp is again translated as "cobra," illustrating a future time of peace and harmony in God's kingdom, where natural enmities and dangers are reconciled. The asp's den becomes a place of safety rather than threat, symbolizing the transformative power of God's reign.

3. Job 20:14-16 : "Yet his food will sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of cobras within him. He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him." In this passage, the asp's venom is a metaphor for the destructive consequences of wickedness. The imagery of consuming cobra venom underscores the self-destructive nature of sin and the inevitable judgment that follows.

4. Romans 3:13 : "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The venom of vipers is on their lips." Although the term "asp" is not directly used here, the reference to "the venom of vipers" echoes the Old Testament imagery of the asp's deadly poison. This verse highlights the corrupt and harmful nature of sinful speech, drawing a parallel between the physical danger of an asp's bite and the spiritual danger of deceitful words.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical symbolism, the asp represents the insidious and lethal nature of sin and evil. Its venomous bite serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual death that results from turning away from God. The asp's presence in Scripture underscores the need for vigilance and reliance on divine protection against the forces of evil.

The asp also appears in the context of God's ultimate victory over evil. In prophetic visions of the Messianic age, the asp's threat is neutralized, symbolizing the restoration of creation and the establishment of God's peaceable kingdom. This transformation reflects the hope and assurance that, through faith, believers will overcome the dangers posed by sin and evil.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Egypt, the asp was a symbol of royalty and divine authority, often associated with the goddess Wadjet. The cobra's image adorned the crowns of pharaohs, signifying protection and sovereignty. This cultural background adds depth to the biblical use of the asp as a symbol of both danger and divine power.

The biblical portrayal of the asp reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern understanding of snakes as creatures of both fear and fascination. The asp's deadly nature made it a fitting symbol for the destructive power of sin, while its eventual subjugation in prophetic visions pointed to the hope of redemption and restoration through God's intervention.(Hebrews pethen), Deuteronomy 32:33; Job 20:14, 16; Isaiah 11:8. It was probably the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje), which was very poisonous (Romans 3:13; Gr. aspis). The Egyptians worshipped it as the uraeus, and it was found in the desert and in the fields. The peace and security of Messiah's reign is represented by the figure of a child playing on the hole of the asp. (see ADDER.) 1. (n.) Same as Aspen.

2. (n.) A small, hooded, poisonous serpent of Egypt and adjacent countries, whose bite is often fatal. It is the Naja haje. The name is also applied to other poisonous serpents, esp. to Vipera aspis of southern Europe. See Haje.

3. (n.) One of several species of poplar bearing this name, especially the Populus tremula, so called from the trembling of its leaves, which move with the slightest impulse of the air.

ASP

(pethen (Deuteronomy 32:33 Job 20:14, 16 Isaiah 11:8); aspis (Romans 3:13)); Any poisonous snake, or even poisonous snakes in general, would satisfy the context in all the passages cited. Pethen is also translated ADDER (which see) in Psalm 58:4; Psalm 91:13. Most authors have supposed the Egyptian cobra (Naia haje, L.) to be the snake meant, but while this is widely distributed throughout Africa, its occurrence in Southern Palestine seems to rest solely on the authority of Canon Tristram, who did not collect it.

There are Other poisonous snakes in Palestine, any one of which would satisfy the requirements of these passages. See SERPENT. While the aspis of classical Greek literature may well have been the Egyptian cobra, it is to be noted that Vipera aspis, L., is confined to central and western Europe.

Alfred Ely Day

785. aspis -- an asp
... an asp. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: aspis Phonetic Spelling:
(as-pece') Short Definition: an asp Definition: an asp (hooded-snake, cobra). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/785.htm - 6k5919. akshub -- asp, viper
... 5918, 5919. akshub. 5920 . asp, viper. Transliteration: akshub Phonetic
Spelling: (ak-shoob') Short Definition: viper. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/5919.htm - 5k

6620. pethen -- (a venomous serpent) perhaps cobra
... adder. From an unused root meaning to twist; an asp (from its contortions) --
adder. 6619, 6620. pethen. 6621 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6620.htm - 6k

660. epheh -- (a kind of) viper
... viper. From epha' (in the sense of hissing); an asp or other venomous serpent --
viper. see HEBREW epha'. 659, 660. epheh. 661 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/660.htm - 6k

Psalm LVIII.
... said? there followeth, "As if of a deaf asp." Whence deaf? "And closing
its ears." Therefore deaf, because it closeth its ears. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lviii.htm

He Shows that Like the Devil when Tempting Christ, the Heretics ...
... to keep Thee in all Thy ways." [2628] And when he had said this, he left out the
context and what belongs to it; viz., "Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xvi he shows that.htm

The Manich??an Fictions About Things Good and Evil are not ...
... heat rather than the light that they enjoy, it would be more reasonable to assign
to fire serpents, which are naturally of rapid motion, than the slow-going asp ...
/.../chapter 9 name manichaean fictions.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. 2, Etc. , About the ...
... Animals of every species are neighbours one to the other, the dove to the dove,
the leopard to the leopard, the asp to the asp, the sheep to the sheep, and is ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xl on the words.htm

Fragment xvii. On the Fortunes of Hyrcanus and Antigonus, and on ...
... 3. Cleopatra shut herself up in a mausoleum, [1121] and made away with herself,
employing the wild asp as the instrument of death. ...
/.../africanus/the writings of julius africanus/fragment xvii on the fortunes.htm

The Millennium in Relation to Creation.
... ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of an asp, and the weaned
child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/6 the millennium in relation.htm

The Evil one Said, "I Fear Him, Even Jesus, Lest He Destroy My ...
... The viper that is within him is out of his power; for the lust that is within him
he tames not. Secret sin like an asp, when it breathes on him he is scorched. ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xli the evil one.htm

As He is Going to Reply to the Slanders of his Opponents He ...
... And grant that through the fearless boldness of steadfast innocence, the sucking
child may play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child thrust his hand ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter i as he is.htm

The Sucker from the Felled Oak
... feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like
the ox.8. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the sucker from the felled.htm

Absurdity of Marcion's Docetic Opinions; Reality of Christ's ...
... Our heretic must now cease to borrow poison from the Jew""the asp," as the adage
runs, "from the viper" [3208] "and henceforth vomit forth the virulence of ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter viii absurdity of marcions docetic.htm

Asp (3 Occurrences)
... The peace and security of Messiah's reign is represented by the figure of a child
playing on the hole of the asp. (see ADDER.). ... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ASP. ...
/a/asp.htm - 9k

Adder (9 Occurrences)
... (Psalm 140:3; Romans 3:13, "asp") is the rendering of,. (1.) Akshub ("coiling" or
"lying in wait"), properly an asp or viper, found only in this passage. ...
/a/adder.htm - 11k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... John 3:14, 15.) (see ASP.) This "brazen serpent" was preserved by the Israelites
till the days of Hezekiah, when it was destroyed (2 Kings 18:4). (see BRASS.). ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Zoology
... Pelican, Cormorant RATTAE: Ostrich Reptiles: CROCODILIA: Crocodile (Leviathan) CHELONIA:
Tortoise OPHIDIA: Serpent, Fiery Serpent, Adder, Asp, Vipet (sv SERPENT ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Trampest (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Trampest (1 Occurrence). Psalms 91:13 On lion and
asp thou treadest, Thou trampest young lion and dragon. (YLT). ...
/t/trampest.htm - 6k

Treadest (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Treadest (2 Occurrences). Psalms 91:13 On lion and
asp thou treadest, Thou trampest young lion and dragon. (YLT). ...
/t/treadest.htm - 6k

Triumph (52 Occurrences)
... that she was doomed, she revolted against the thought of being led in triumph to
Rome, and, as tradition states, took her own life by allowing an asp to bite ...
/t/triumph.htm - 24k

Poison (17 Occurrences)
... Cerastes hasselquistii, the little horned vipers, are mentioned, and in Deuteronomy
32:33: "poison of serpents, and the cruel venom of asps." The asp may be ...
/p/poison.htm - 17k

Basilisk's (1 Occurrence)
... Basilisk's (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole
of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. ...
/b/basilisk's.htm - 6k

Basilisk (3 Occurrences)
... (See JPS YLT). Isaiah 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. (See JPS WBS). ...
/b/basilisk.htm - 9k

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