The term "basilisk" appears in some translations of the Bible, often associated with deadly serpents or mythical creatures. The Hebrew word in question is "צִפְעֹנִי" (tsiphoni), which is sometimes translated as "adder" or "viper" in modern versions. The basilisk, in ancient lore, is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king, capable of causing death with a single glance or breath. This creature has captured the imagination of many cultures and has been associated with various interpretations throughout history.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 14:29 : "Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken, for a viper will spring from the root of a snake, and its fruit will be a flying serpent." In this passage, the "flying serpent" is sometimes interpreted as a basilisk, symbolizing a powerful and destructive force that will arise despite the apparent defeat of the Philistines.

2. Isaiah 30:6 : "An oracle concerning the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and roaring lions, of vipers and darting serpents, the envoys carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys, their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people who cannot profit them." Here, the "darting serpents" are often linked to the idea of a swift and deadly creature, akin to the basilisk.

3. Jeremiah 8:17 : "For behold, I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you, declares the LORD." The reference to "vipers that cannot be charmed" evokes the image of an uncontrollable and lethal creature, reminiscent of the basilisk's feared attributes.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, serpents often symbolize evil, danger, and judgment. The basilisk, as a mythical creature, embodies these themes to an extreme degree. Its reputed ability to kill with a glance or breath makes it a fitting symbol for the destructive power of sin and the inevitability of divine judgment. The basilisk's presence in biblical texts serves as a metaphor for the deadly consequences of turning away from God and the peril that awaits those who oppose His will.

Cultural and Historical Context:

The basilisk's origins can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman mythology, where it was depicted as a small serpent with a crown-like crest. Over time, its legend grew, and it became associated with various supernatural abilities, including the power to kill with its gaze. In medieval bestiaries, the basilisk was often portrayed as a creature to be feared, embodying the ultimate threat of death and destruction.

In the context of the Bible, the basilisk's mythical attributes are used to convey the severity of God's judgment and the seriousness of sin. The creature's legendary status amplifies the warnings found in the prophetic books, emphasizing the need for repentance and obedience to God's commands.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the basilisk serves as a reminder of the spiritual warfare that believers face. It represents the unseen forces of evil that seek to destroy and devour. The imagery of the basilisk underscores the importance of relying on God's protection and the power of faith to overcome the threats posed by the enemy.

In summary, while the basilisk itself is a creature of legend, its use in biblical texts provides a vivid illustration of the dangers of sin and the reality of divine judgment. Through these symbolic references, the Bible communicates the need for vigilance, repentance, and trust in God's deliverance.Psalm 91:13
You shall tread on the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shall you trample under feet.
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Isaiah 59:5
They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eats of their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
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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 cockatrice' den.
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Isaiah 14:29
Rejoice not you, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote you is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.
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Proverbs 23:32
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
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(in R.V., Isaiah 11:8; 14:29; 59:5; Jeremiah 8:17), the "king serpent," as the name imports; a fabulous serpent said to be three spans long, with a spot on its head like a crown. Probably the yellow snake is intended. (see COCKATRICE.) 1. (n.) A fabulous serpent, or dragon. The ancients alleged that its hissing would drive away all other serpents, and that its breath, and even its look, was fatal. See Cockatrice.

2. (n.) A lizard of the genus Basiliscus, belonging to the family Iguanidae.

3. (n.) A large piece of ordnance, so called from its supposed resemblance to the serpent of that name, or from its size.

BASILISK

baz'-i-lisk (tsepha`, tsiph`oni, from obsolete root tsapha`, "to hiss": Isaiah 11:8; Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 59:5 Jeremiah 8:17 Proverbs 23:32 m. In Proverbs 23:32, the King James Version has "adder," margin "cockatrice"; in the other passages cited the King James Version has "cockatrice," margin "adder" (except Jeremiah 8:17, no margin)): The word is from basiliskos, "kinglet," from basileus, "king," and signifies a mythical reptile hatched by a serpent from a cock's egg. Its hissing drove away other serpents. Its look, and especially its breath, was fatal. According to Pliny, it was named from a crown-like spot on its head. It has been identified with the equally mythical COCKATRICE (which see). In all the passages cited, it denotes a venomous serpent (see ADDER; SERPENT), but it is impossible to tell what, if any, particular species is referred to. It must be borne in mind that while there are poisonous snakes in Palestine, there are more which are not poisonous, and most of the latter, as well as some harmless lizards, are commonly regarded as deadly. Several of the harmless snakes have crownlike markings on their heads, and it is quite conceivable that the basilisk myth may have been founded upon one of these.

Alfred Ely Day

As He is Going to Reply to the Slanders of his Opponents He ...
... swells with deadly poison, O Thou who makest the feet of believers to tread unharmed
on serpents and scorpions, and to go upon the adder and basilisk, to tread ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter i as he is.htm

He Shows that Like the Devil when Tempting Christ, the Heretics ...
... 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 basilisk: and thou ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xvi he shows that.htm

Continuation: Audacity of Satan.
... of the rest, furtively concealing what [the Scripture] predicted concerning thee
and thy servants: "Thou shalt tread upon the adder and the basilisk; the lion ...
/.../chapter x continuation audacity of satan.htm

Continuation of the Exposition of 1 Tim. ...
... he says, "Guard the deposit, shunning profane novelties of words." "Shun them as
you would a viper, as you would a scorpion, as you would a basilisk, lest they ...
/.../the commonitory of vincent of lerins/chapter xxiv continuation of the.htm

Epiphanius Intervenes
... own honesty and intelligence. There was a sort of basilisk power in
Theophilus which paralysed opposition. He induced Jerome to ...
/.../chapter xliv epiphanius intervenes.htm

Letter vii. To Chromatius, Jovinus, and Eusebius.
... water. [95] As for me who am still foul with my old stains, like the basilisk
and the scorpion I haunt the dry places. [96] Bonosus ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter vii to chromatius jovinus.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... Basilica of St. Peter, [105]152; Christian churches called basilic??,
[106]594. Basilisk, [107]451. Beasts of the wood, [108]512. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm

Of the Different Desires and Wishes which Exist in the Powers of ...
... in such a way that to one is assigned the name of lion because of the fury of his
rage and the madness of his anger, to another that of basilisk because of his ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxxii of the different.htm

The Letter of the Synod to the Emperor and Empress.
... eggs and wove a spider's web," as says the prophet; and "he that would eat of their
eggs, having crushed one, found it to be addled, with a basilisk within it ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/the letter of the synod 2.htm

The Portrait of a Drunkyard
... taste. And then comes in, with startling abruptness, the end of all this
fascination,"a serpent's bite and a basilisk's sting. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the portrait of a drunkyard.htm

Basilisk (3 Occurrences)
... size. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BASILISK. baz'-i ... one of these. Alfred
Ely Day. Multi-Version Concordance Basilisk (3 Occurrences). ...
/b/basilisk.htm - 9k

Basilisk's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Basilisk's (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 11:8 And the
sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the ...
/b/basilisk's.htm - 6k

Cockatrice (3 Occurrences)
... from its size and its nocturnal habits (Isaiah 11:8; 14:29; 59:5; Jeremiah 8:17;
in all which the Revised Version renders the Hebrew tziph'oni by "basilisk"). ...
/c/cockatrice.htm - 10k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... occurs only in Isaiah 14:29 where it is translated "adder" (the King James Version
"cockatrice," the English Revised Version "basilisk," Septuagint ekgona ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Basic (3 Occurrences)

/b/basic.htm - 7k

Basilisks (2 Occurrences)

/b/basilisks.htm - 6k

Adder (9 Occurrences)
... The Revised Version has "basilisk." This may have been the yellow viper, the Daboia
xanthina, the largest and most dangerous of the vipers of Palestine. ...
/a/adder.htm - 11k

Stings (3 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Proverbs 23:32 At the last it biteth
like a serpent, and stingeth like a basilisk. (See NAS RSV). ...
/s/stings.htm - 7k

Suckling (19 Occurrences)
... (DBY YLT NAS). Isaiah 11:8 And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the
asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the den of the basilisk. ...
/s/suckling.htm - 12k

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