SERPENTS
These reptiles, unclean among the Hebrews, Lev 11:10,41, are widely diffused through the world, but are most numerous and venomous in tropical climates. About one-sixth part of all that are known to be poisonous. These are distinguished by having two hollow poisonfangs in the upper jaw, and are usually of slower motion than most snakes. Venomous serpents were abundant in Egypt and Arabia, and seven different kinds are mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures, some of which are identified with existing species. See ADDER, ASP, COCKATRICE, and VIPER.The serpents mentioned in Num 21:1-35 Isa 14:29 30:6, and by whom multitudes of the Israelites were destroyed in the desert north of the Gulf of Akabah, were probably called “fiery” and “flying” with reference to the agonizing heat caused by their poison, and the rapidity of their darting motion. Herodotus indeed speaks of winged serpents as appearing every spring on the Arabian border of Egypt; but he did not see them, nor are there any to be met with in modern times. The serpent of brass, made and erected on a pole by Moses, had no healing virtue in itself, but was a test of the penitence and faith of the people. The author of Ecclesiasticus says of the Israelites, “They were troubled for a small season that they might be admonished, having a sign of salvation to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law. For he that turned towards it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but by thee, that art the Savior of all.” Our Savior himself shows that the brazen serpent was a type of Him, Joh 3:14,15 . The believing view of Christ is salvation to the soul infected by the fatal poison of sin. Respecting the brazen serpent, see NEHUSHTAN. Hezekiah destroyed a true and most sacred relic; Rome, on the contrary, fabricates false relics and adores them. See CHARMERS.Interpreters have largely speculated concerning the nature of the serpent that tempted Eve. Some have thought that serpents originally had feet and speech; but there is no probability that this creature was ever otherwise than it now is. Its subtle, crafty malignity is often alluded to the Scriptures, Gen 3:1 Mat 10:16 22:33. Besides, it cannot be doubted but that by the serpent we are to understand the devil, who employed the serpent as a vehicle to seduce the first woman, Gen 3:13 2Co 11:3 Jer 12:9 .
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
SERPENTS
(1) General References to
Exo 4:3; Exo 7:10; Num 21:6; Deu 8:15; Pro 23:32; Pro 30:19; Ecc 10:8
Isa 30:6; Isa 65:25; Amo 5:19; Mat 7:10; Mat 10:16
–SEE Vipers,
(2) Evil Men Compared to
Psa 58:4; Psa 140:3; Mat 12:34; Mat 23:33; Luk 3:7