In the Bible, the term "adder" is used to refer to a venomous snake, often symbolizing danger, deceit, and evil. The Hebrew word often translated as "adder" is "פֶּתֶן" (pethen), which is believed to refer to a venomous serpent, possibly the cobra or a similar snake. The adder is mentioned in several passages, illustrating its symbolic significance in biblical literature.

Symbolism and References

1. Deceit and Danger: The adder is frequently associated with deceit and hidden danger. In Psalm 58:4, the wicked are compared to the venom of a serpent: "Their venom is like the poison of a serpent, like a deaf cobra that shuts its ears." This imagery underscores the insidious and harmful nature of evil, which can strike unexpectedly and with deadly effect.

2. Judgment and Retribution: In Psalm 140:3, the psalmist describes the wicked as having tongues "sharp as a serpent's; the venom of vipers is on their lips." This metaphor highlights the destructive power of malicious words and actions, which can be as lethal as a serpent's bite. The adder, in this context, serves as a symbol of divine judgment against those who perpetrate evil.

3. Protection and Deliverance: The adder also appears in passages that emphasize God's protection over His faithful. In Psalm 91:13, the promise of divine safeguarding is evident: "You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent." Here, the adder represents the threats and challenges that believers may face, but with God's help, they can overcome these dangers.

4. Wisdom and Cunning: The adder's cunning nature is alluded to in the New Testament, where Jesus instructs His disciples to be "as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16). While not directly mentioning the adder, this reference to serpents highlights the need for wisdom and discernment in navigating a world filled with spiritual and moral challenges.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, serpents were often associated with both danger and healing. The adder, as a venomous snake, would have been a familiar and feared creature in the biblical world. Its presence in Scripture reflects the broader cultural understanding of snakes as symbols of both peril and protection, depending on the context.

Theological Implications

The adder's role in the Bible serves as a powerful reminder of the reality of evil and the need for vigilance and reliance on God. It illustrates the dual nature of creation, where elements can be both harmful and beneficial, depending on their use and context. The adder's venom, while deadly, also points to the potential for healing and redemption through divine intervention.

In summary, the adder in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol, representing danger, deceit, and the protective power of God. Its presence in Scripture calls believers to be aware of the spiritual perils they face and to trust in God's deliverance and wisdom.6848b. tsiphoni -- a serpent
... 6848a, 6848b. tsiphoni. 6849 . a serpent. Transliteration: tsiphoni Short
Definition: Adders. Word Origin from the same as tsepha ...
/hebrew/6848b.htm - 5k

The Desire of a Lover after God is Shown: and the Cursed Love of ...
... of falsehood, is the wine of sinners, because drinking it they are so maddened that
they see not what is to come to them; and venom of adders, that is killing ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter viii the desire of.htm

Prefatory Notice
... were clear and powerful; so convincing the understanding, so entering into the soul,
so engaging the affections, that those were as deaf as adders who were not ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/baxter/the saints everlasting rest/prefatory notice.htm

Who have Apostatized from God.
... If any one is without God, or profane from the enemy, they are become as sounding
brass, or deaf as adders: such men ought abundantly to pray or to hide ...
/.../commodianus/the instructions of commodianus/l who have apostatized from god.htm

How and in what Time I came to Solitary Life: and of the Song of ...
... If the covering of a privy is put by, nothing but stink flies out; and ill speaking
is spoken out of the heart's plenty, in which the venom of adders lurks. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xv how and in.htm

Psalm 91:2. 1-16. Second Part. Protection from Death, Guard of ...
... 5 Adders and lions ye shall tread; The tempter's wiles defeat; He that
hath broke the serpent's head Puts him beneath your feet. ...
/.../watts/the psalms of david/psalm 91 2 0 1-16 second part.htm

Psalm 91 Part 2 Protection from Death, Guard of Angels, victory ...
... And dash against the stones: Are they not servants at his call,. And sent t' attend
his sons? Adders and lions ye shall tread; The tempter's wiles defeat; ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 91 part 2 protection.htm

A Farewell
... Jerome says that in the holy frightfulness of the Nitrian desert he found adders
as well as monks, and Augustine speaks of the numbers of hypocrites under the ...
/.../gathering clouds a tale of the days of st chrysostom/chapter xli a farewell.htm

Ninth Commandment
... working deceitfully. . . . They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent;
adders' poison is under their lips. . . . The mouth ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/ninth commandment.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... I spent several hours in this singular place, forcing my way through the wild fennel
and brushwood into the caverns, now the haunts of adders and other reptiles ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 17.htm

Names
... to be like their names"children of wrath, whose feet were swift to shed blood, under
whose lips was the poison of adders, and destruction and bloodshed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon iv names.htm

Adders (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Adders (4 Occurrences). Psalms 140:3 They have sharpened
their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. ...
/a/adders.htm - 7k

Adder (9 Occurrences)
... The puff adders of Africa are species of Clotho. ... Psalms 140:3 They have sharpened
their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. ...
/a/adder.htm - 11k

Egg (3 Occurrences)
... he give him a scorpion?" The reference in Isaiah 59:5 is to the egg of a serpent,
and is figurative of the schemes of evil men: "They hatch adders' eggs, and ...
/e/egg.htm - 10k

Basilisks (2 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 59:5 They hatch adders eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of
their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. ...
/b/basilisks.htm - 6k

Spider (3 Occurrences)
... shall break in sunder, and whose trust is a spider's web." Frailty or futility seems
to be indicated also in Isaiah 59:5, 6: "They hatch adders' eggs, and ...
/s/spider.htm - 10k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... akhshubh, occurs only in Psalm 140:3, where it is translated "adder" Septuagint
aspis, Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 AD) aspis), "adders' poison is ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Viper (8 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 59:5 They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he who eats of
their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper. ...
/v/viper.htm - 10k

Vipers (10 Occurrences)
... vipers. (DBY). Psalms 140:3 They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent;
Adders poison is under their lips. Selah (See JPS RSV NIV). ...
/v/vipers.htm - 9k

Venom (8 Occurrences)
... RSV NIV). Psalms 140:3 They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Adders
poison is under their lips. Selah (See JPS). Habakkuk ...
/v/venom.htm - 8k

Weave (4 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 59:5 They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he who eats of
their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper. ...
/w/weave.htm - 8k

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