The Hebrew word pethen, represented by H6620, refers to an asp or adder. The term derives from an unused root meaning to twist, likely referencing the creature's contortions. It appears 6 times in 6 unique verses, consistently portraying a venomous and dangerous serpent.
Biblically, H6620 is used metaphorically to illustrate concepts of poison and wickedness. Job describes the wicked man's food turning into the "gall of asps" Job 20:14 and notes that he will "suck the poison of asps" Job 20:16. In Deuteronomy, the wine of the wicked is described as "the cruel venom of asps" Deuteronomy 32:33. The psalmist compares the wicked to a "deaf adder that stoppeth her ear" Psalms 58:4. In contrast, passages of hope depict this danger being overcome. The righteous are promised protection, that they will "tread upon the lion and adder" Psalms 91:13, and a vision of future peace shows a child playing harmlessly by the "hole of the asp" Isaiah 11:8.
Several related words are used alongside H6620 to describe serpents and other dangerous forces:
- H5175 nâchâsh (serpent): This is a general term for a snake, used in parallel with pethen to describe the nature of the wicked, whose poison is "like the poison of a serpent" Psalms 58:4.
- H660 ʼephʻeh (viper): Another type of venomous snake, its tongue is said to slay the one who sucks the poison of the asp Job 20:16.
- H7219 rôʼsh (poison, venom): This word defines the deadly substance associated with the asp, as in the "venom of asps" Deuteronomy 32:33 and the "poison of asps" Job 20:16.
- H6848 tsephaʻ (adder, cockatrice): This term for a viper is used to describe a den where a child will safely put his hand in a future time of peace, mentioned in the same context as the asp Isaiah 11:8.
The theological weight of H6620 is conveyed through its consistent symbolic usage:
- Embodiment of Wickedness: The asp's venom is a direct metaphor for the corrupt and destructive nature of the wicked. Their nourishment becomes poison within them Job 20:14, and their offerings are like venom Deuteronomy 32:33.
- A Defeated Threat: The asp is listed among fierce creatures like the lion and the dragon that will be trampled underfoot by those who trust in God, signifying divine protection over deadly forces Psalms 91:13.
- Symbol of Messianic Peace: The danger of the asp is completely neutralized in the prophetic vision of Isaiah. A child playing near its hole illustrates a restored creation where the most lethal threats no longer hold power Isaiah 11:8.
In summary, H6620 pethen is more than a biological descriptor for an adder. It serves as a potent biblical symbol for lethal danger, divine judgment on wickedness, and the ultimate triumph of God's peace. From the internal corruption of the wicked to the tamed beasts of a renewed world, the asp illustrates the power of God to both judge evil and render it harmless.
TRV