In the Bible, the term "viper" is used to describe a venomous snake, often symbolizing danger, deceit, and malevolence. The imagery of vipers is employed in various passages to convey spiritual and moral lessons, reflecting the creature's characteristics of stealth and lethality.

Old Testament References

The Hebrew word often translated as "viper" is "ʾepʿeh," which appears in several Old Testament passages. In Isaiah 30:6, the prophet speaks of a land of trouble and anguish, inhabited by "lions and lionesses, vipers and flying serpents." This description underscores the perilous nature of the journey and the spiritual desolation of those who turn away from God.

In Isaiah 59:5, the prophet uses the imagery of vipers to describe the sinful actions of the people: "They hatch viper’s eggs and weave a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched." This metaphor highlights the destructive nature of sin and the inevitable consequences of engaging in wickedness.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the Greek word "echidna" is used for "viper." John the Baptist famously uses this term in Matthew 3:7 when addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees: "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, 'You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?'" Here, John the Baptist condemns the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and lack of genuine repentance.

Similarly, Jesus uses the term in Matthew 12:34 and 23:33 to rebuke the Pharisees: "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." This strong language emphasizes the moral corruption and deceitfulness of those who oppose the truth of the Gospel.

Symbolism and Interpretation

The viper serves as a powerful symbol of evil and deceit throughout Scripture. Its venomous nature is often associated with the destructive power of sin and the cunning of Satan. In Genesis 3, the serpent's role in the Fall of Man sets the stage for the viper's symbolic association with the devil and his schemes.

In Acts 28:3-6, the Apostle Paul encounters a viper on the island of Malta. As he gathers sticks for a fire, a viper fastens itself to his hand. The islanders expect him to die, but Paul shakes off the creature and suffers no harm. This incident demonstrates God's protection over His servants and serves as a testament to the power of faith.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons

The biblical references to vipers serve as a warning against the dangers of sin, hypocrisy, and spiritual complacency. Believers are called to be vigilant and discerning, recognizing the subtle and destructive nature of evil. The imagery of the viper challenges Christians to examine their hearts and live in accordance with the truth of God's Word, avoiding the deceit and malice that characterize the enemies of righteousness.660. epheh -- (a kind of) viper
... 659, 660. epheh. 661 . (a kind of) viper. Transliteration: epheh Phonetic
Spelling: (ef-eh') Short Definition: snake. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/660.htm - 6k

6848b. tsiphoni -- a serpent
... Word Origin from the same as tsepha Definition a serpent NASB Word Usage Adders
(1), adders' (1), viper (1), viper's (1). 6848a, 6848b. tsiphoni. 6849 . ...
/hebrew/6848b.htm - 5k

The Earth Brings Forth, as if by Suppuration...
... we often aid in this way even the heathen, seeing we have been endowed by God with
that power which the apostle first used when he despised the viper's bite. ...
/.../scorpiace antidote for the scorpions sting/chapter i the earth brings.htm

Historical Criticism of Medi??val Amplifications.
... gift of tongues which enabled him to speak Coptic with Bishoi and Greek with
Basil"the restoration to life of the youth who had died of a viper's bite at ...
/.../v historical criticism of mediaeval amplifications.htm

Wonderful Piety of Martin.
... sins of those who showed themselves his revilers"those who, as he led his retired
and tranquil life, slandered him with poisoned tongue and a viper's mouth. ...
/.../life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xxvii wonderful piety of.htm

The Genuine Acts of Peter.
... Nearly about the same time Arius, armed with a viper's craft, as if deserting the
party of Meletius, fled for refuge to Peter, who at the request of the ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/the genuine acts of peter.htm

On Baptism.
... Be not then henceforth a viper, but as thou hast been formerly a viper's brood,
put off, saith he, the slough [601] of thy former sinful life. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture iii on baptism.htm

Match-Making.
... Touch not, taste not, handle not! They will poison the spirit and the affections,
and encircle you with a viper's coil from which there is no hope of escape. ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxiii match-making.htm

A Book for Boys and Girls Or, Temporal Things Spritualized.
... egg under profession. 3. Some eggs bring cockatrices; and some men Seem
hatch'd and brooded in the viper's den. Some eggs bring ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a book for boys and.htm

A Prayer for Pardon and Its Plea
... And if it be small, a microscopic viper, the length of a cutting from your finger
nail, has got the viper's nature in it, and its poison, and its sting, and it ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a prayer for pardon and.htm

Letter cxlvii. To Sabinianus.
... You however showed yourself a pillar of confidence, and excited as you were by the
viper's sting you became to me a deceitful bow; you shot at me arrows of ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxlvii to sabinianus.htm

The Desire of the Righteous Granted;
... Thy sins shall lie down in the dust with thee (Job 20:11). Thou hast sucked the
poison of asps, and the viper's tongue shall slay thee (Job 20:16). ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the desire of the righteous.htm

Viper's (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Viper's (3 Occurrences). Job 20:16 He shall suck cobra
venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS). ...
/v/viper's.htm - 7k

Cobra (5 Occurrences)
... The viper's tongue shall kill him. ... Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play near a
cobra's hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. ...
/c/cobra.htm - 7k

Poison (17 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Job 20:16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue
shall slay him. ...Viper's poison is under their lips. Selah. ...
/p/poison.htm - 17k

Vipers (10 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 59:5 They hatch basilisks' eggs, and weave the spider's web; he that eateth
of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. ...
/v/vipers.htm - 9k

Venom (8 Occurrences)
... It is cobra venom within him. (WEB NAS NIV). Job 20:16 He shall suck cobra
venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him. (WEB). Psalms ...
/v/venom.htm - 8k

Weaned (9 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV). Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play near
a cobra's hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. ...
/w/weaned.htm - 9k

Fangs (5 Occurrences)
... things of the dust. (See NIV). Job 20:16 He shall suck cobra venom. The
viper's tongue shall kill him. (See NIV). Job 29:17 I broke ...
/f/fangs.htm - 7k

Den (19 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play near a cobra's hole,
and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. ...
/d/den.htm - 16k

Cobra's (1 Occurrence)
... Cobra's (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play near a cobra's hole,
and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. (WEB). ...
/c/cobra's.htm - 6k

Cobras (3 Occurrences)
... turned. It is cobra venom within him. (See NAS). Job 20:16 He shall suck
cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him. (See NAS). ...
/c/cobras.htm - 6k

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