### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
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.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
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]].
### Related Words & Concepts
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]].
### Theological Significance
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]].
### Summary
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