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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: The Serpents</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_serpents.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/bsb/genesis/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/s/serpents.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > The Serpents</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/t/the_serpent_in_the_wilderness.htm" title="The Serpent in the Wilderness">◄</a> The Serpents <a href="/topical/t/the_serpent's_deception.htm" title="The Serpent's Deception">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div><b>Introduction:</b> <br>In the Bible, serpents are significant creatures that appear in various contexts, symbolizing both physical and spiritual realities. They are often associated with deception, sin, and judgment, but also with healing and wisdom. The serpent's role in biblical narratives provides insight into the nature of temptation, the consequences of sin, and the hope of redemption.<br><br><b>The Serpent in the Garden of Eden:</b> <br>The most well-known serpent in the Bible is the one that appears in the Garden of Eden. In <a href="/bsb/genesis/3.htm">Genesis 3</a>, the serpent is described as "more cunning than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made" (<a href="/genesis/3.htm">Genesis 3:1</a>). It tempts Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, leading to the fall of humanity. The serpent's deception results in Adam and Eve's disobedience, bringing sin and death into the world. This event underscores the serpent's role as an agent of temptation and the embodiment of Satan's deceitful nature.<br><br><b>The Bronze Serpent:</b> <br>In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites face a plague of venomous snakes as a consequence of their rebellion against God. In response to Moses' intercession, God instructs him to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. "Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze serpent, he lived" (<a href="/numbers/21-9.htm">Numbers 21:9</a>). This incident prefigures the redemptive work of Christ, as Jesus Himself references it in <a href="/john/3-14.htm">John 3:14-15</a>, drawing a parallel between the lifting up of the bronze serpent and His own crucifixion.<br><br><b>Serpents as Symbols of Judgment and Wisdom:</b> <br>Serpents are also used as symbols of judgment and wisdom in the Bible. In <a href="/exodus/7-10.htm">Exodus 7:10-12</a>, Aaron's staff becomes a serpent before Pharaoh, demonstrating God's power over the Egyptian magicians. In <a href="/matthew/10-16.htm">Matthew 10:16</a>, Jesus instructs His disciples to be "as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" , highlighting the need for wisdom and discernment in a hostile world.<br><br><b>Serpents in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature:</b> <br>In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, serpents often symbolize evil and chaos. <a href="/isaiah/27.htm">Isaiah 27:1</a> speaks of the Lord punishing "Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; He will slay the dragon of the sea" , representing God's ultimate victory over evil. In <a href="/revelation/12-9.htm">Revelation 12:9</a>, the serpent is explicitly identified with Satan: "The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, who leads the whole world astray" .<br><br><b>Conclusion:</b> <br>Throughout the Bible, serpents serve as powerful symbols and instruments in God's narrative. They remind believers of the reality of sin and the need for vigilance against temptation, while also pointing to the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/s/serpents.htm">Serpents</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents_were_often_enchanted_or_fascinated.htm">Serpents were often Enchanted or Fascinated</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--(poisonous_bite_of)_baneful_effects_of_wine.htm">Serpents: (Poisonous Bite of) Baneful Effects of Wine</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--(sharp_tongue_of)_malice_of_the_wicked.htm">Serpents: (Sharp Tongue of) Malice of the Wicked</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--all_kinds_of,_can_be_tamed.htm">Serpents: All Kinds of, Can be Tamed</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--called_crooked.htm">Serpents: Called Crooked</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--characterised_as_subtle.htm">Serpents: Characterised As Subtle</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--created_by_god.htm">Serpents: Created by God</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--cursed_above_all_creatures.htm">Serpents: Cursed Above all Creatures</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--dangerous_to_travellers.htm">Serpents: Dangerous to Travellers</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--doomed_to_creep_on_their_belly.htm">Serpents: Doomed to Creep on Their Belly</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--doomed_to_eat_their_food_mingled_with_dust.htm">Serpents: Doomed to Eat Their Food Mingled With Dust</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--infest--deserts.htm">Serpents: Infest: Deserts</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--infest--hedges.htm">Serpents: Infest: Hedges</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--infest--holes_in_walls.htm">Serpents: Infest: Holes in Walls</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--man's_aversion_and_hatred_to.htm">Serpents: Man's Aversion and Hatred To</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--many_kinds_of_poisonous.htm">Serpents: Many Kinds of Poisonous</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--miracles_connected_with--israelites_cured_by_looking_at_one_of_brass.htm">Serpents: Miracles Connected With: Israelites Cured by Looking at One of Brass</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--miracles_connected_with--moses'_rod_turned_into.htm">Serpents: Miracles Connected With: Moses' Rod Turned Into</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--miracles_connected_with--power_over,_given_to_the_disciples.htm">Serpents: Miracles Connected With: Power Over, Given to the Disciples</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--of_enemies_who_harass_and_destroy.htm">Serpents: of Enemies Who Harass and Destroy</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--of_hypocrites.htm">Serpents: of Hypocrites</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--of_the_devil.htm">Serpents: of the Devil</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--of_the_tribe_of_dan.htm">Serpents: of the Tribe of Dan</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--often_sent_as_a_punishment.htm">Serpents: Often Sent As a Punishment</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--produced_from_eggs.htm">Serpents: Produced from Eggs</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/serpents--unclean_and_unfit_for_food.htm">Serpents: Unclean and Unfit for Food</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/serug.htm">Serug (6 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/serpent's.htm">Serpent's (7 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/phalek.htm">Phalek (1 Occurrence)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/t/the_serpent_in_the_wilderness.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="The Serpent in the Wilderness"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="The Serpent in the Wilderness" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/t/the_serpent's_deception.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="The Serpent's Deception"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="The Serpent's Deception" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' 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