### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nâchâsh**, represented by `{{H5175}}`, is the primary term for a **serpent**, derived from a root that suggests hissing. It appears 31 times in 28 unique verses. While it can refer to a literal snake, it is most often used to represent a creature with significant symbolic weight, embodying danger, deception, and divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5175}}` is introduced as the serpent in the Garden of Eden, described as "more subtil{H6175} than any beast of the field" [[Genesis 3:1]]. This serpent beguiles the woman, leading to her disobedience [[Genesis 3:13]], and is subsequently cursed by God to crawl on its belly and eat dust [[Genesis 3:14]]. The term is also central to the account of the Israelites in the wilderness, where God sends "fiery{H8314} serpents{H5175}" to bite the people as punishment [[Numbers 21:6]]. In response, Moses creates a bronze serpent{H5175}, and any who were bitten and looked upon it were healed [[Numbers 21:9]]. This same object, later named Nehushtan, was destroyed by King Hezekiah when it became an idol [[2 Kings 18:4]]. The word is also used to describe formidable enemies, such as Leviathan, the "piercing{H1281} serpent{H5175}" [[Isaiah 27:1]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the actions and types of serpents in scripture:
* `{{H5391}}` **nâshak** (bite): A primitive root meaning to strike with a sting like a serpent. It describes the primary action of a `{{H5175}}`, whether as a mundane threat or an instrument of judgment [[Amos 5:19]].
* `{{H6175}}` **ʻârûwm** (crafty, prudent, subtil): This adjective is used to describe the nature of the serpent in Eden, highlighting its cunning intelligence [[Genesis 3:1]].
* `{{H8314}}` **sârâph** (fiery (serpent), seraph): This term specifies the type of serpents sent to punish Israel in the wilderness, described as "fiery" or poisonous [[Deuteronomy 8:15]].
* `{{H6848}}` **tsephaʻ** (adder, cockatrice): A type of viper mentioned alongside `{{H5175}}` as a symbol of deadly threat and something that cannot be charmed [[Jeremiah 8:17]].
* `{{H8207}}` **shᵉphîyphôn** (adder): A kind of serpent used in Jacob's prophecy to describe the tribe of Dan as a "serpent{H5175} by the way, an adder{H8207} in the path" [[Genesis 49:17]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5175}}` is significant, representing several key themes.
* **Symbol of Deception:** The serpent's introduction as a "subtil" creature that beguiled the first woman establishes it as a primary symbol of temptation and deceit ([[Genesis 3:1]], [[Genesis 3:13]]).
* **Instrument of Divine Judgment:** God directly uses serpents as a means of punishment against his people in the wilderness [[Numbers 21:6]] and threatens to send them against the unrighteous [[Jeremiah 8:17]]. The serpent represents a danger from which there is no escape [[Amos 9:3]].
* **Emblem of Humiliation:** The curse for the serpent to eat dust becomes a metaphor for utter defeat and debasement, a fate prophesied for the enemies of God's people [[Micah 7:17]]. Its future diet is also contrasted with that of the wolf and lion in a redeemed creation [[Isaiah 65:25]].
* **Paradox of Healing and Idolatry:** The bronze serpent provides a unique paradox. It served as God's ordained instrument for life and healing [[Numbers 21:9]], but later became a profane idol that had to be destroyed [[2 Kings 18:4]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5175}}` is far more than a simple term for a reptile. It is a foundational biblical symbol that represents cunning temptation, lethal danger, and divine judgment. From the crafty creature in the garden to the fiery serpents of the desert, and from a symbol of a curse to an instrument of healing, **nâchâsh** carries deep theological significance, illustrating how a single figure can embody both affliction and the means of God's intervention.
TRV