In the Bible, the concept of "bites" is often associated with physical harm, danger, and the consequences of sin. The term is used both literally and metaphorically throughout the Scriptures, illustrating various spiritual and moral lessons.

Literal Bites

1. Serpents and Snakes: One of the most notable instances of literal bites in the Bible involves serpents. In Numbers 21:6, the Israelites, during their wilderness journey, faced a plague of venomous snakes as a consequence of their complaints against God and Moses: "So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died." This event underscores the theme of divine judgment and the need for repentance and faith, as later, Moses is instructed to make a bronze serpent so that those who look upon it may live (Numbers 21:8-9).

2. Wild Animals: The Bible also references bites from wild animals as a form of divine punishment or natural consequence. In Amos 5:19, the prophet describes a man fleeing from a lion only to be met by a bear, and then bitten by a snake when he reaches his house, illustrating the inescapability of divine judgment: "It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to encounter a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand against the wall only to have a snake bite him."

Metaphorical Bites

1. Sin and Its Consequences: The metaphorical use of "bites" often relates to the consequences of sin and the deceptive nature of evil. In Ecclesiastes 10:8, the Preacher warns, "He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake." This proverb highlights the idea that those who engage in sinful or foolish behavior may find themselves ensnared by their own actions.

2. Gossip and Slander: The destructive power of words is likened to a serpent's bite in some biblical passages. Proverbs 23:32 warns about the dangers of excessive indulgence, comparing it to a serpent's bite: "In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper." This imagery is used to convey the harm that can come from careless or malicious speech.

3. Judgment and Retribution: The imagery of biting is also used to describe divine retribution. In Jeremiah 8:17, God declares, "For behold, I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you," as a warning of impending judgment upon the people for their unfaithfulness.

Protection and Deliverance

Despite the dangers associated with bites, the Bible also emphasizes God's power to protect and deliver His people. In Mark 16:18, Jesus assures His followers of divine protection: "They will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them." This promise, while not encouraging reckless behavior, underscores the sovereignty of God over all creation and His ability to safeguard His servants.

In summary, the concept of bites in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of both physical danger and spiritual peril, reminding believers of the consequences of sin, the importance of faith and repentance, and the assurance of God's protection for those who trust in Him.5391a. nashak -- to bite
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to bite NASB Word Usage bit (2), bite (4), bites
(4), bitten (1), creditors (1). 5391, 5391a. nashak. 5391b . ...
/hebrew/5391a.htm - 5k

Nevertheless, a Necessity, as it Were, is Laid Upon Me to Reply ...
... on the right. It is on one who is stroking him and caressing him on the
cheek that he suddenly turns and bites him. I praised his ...
/.../2 nevertheless a necessity as.htm

On Genesis.
... be a multitude of persecutors in Dan like a "serpent lying by the way on the path,
stinging the horse's heel," ie, giving fierce and dangerous bites; for the ...
/.../hippolytus/the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on genesis.htm

Behind the Door
... not found Rest. She listened once, too earnestly; she has not been allowed
to listen again. Oh, how that tiger bites! Next door to ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter xxii behind the door.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... on the right. It is on one who is stroking him and caressing him on the
cheek that he suddenly turns and bites him. I praised his ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /

I Leave Out of Account Now the Motive of Glory. ...
... They actually go down to meet the very wild beasts in vain ambition; and they fancy
themselves more winsome from the bites and scars of the contest. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/ad martyras/chapter v i leave out.htm

Emancipation --Black and White.
... he will be able to compete successfully with his bigger-brained and smaller-jawed
rival, in a contest which is to be carried on by thoughts and not by bites. ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/ii emancipationblack and white.htm

Seated Where There is Nothing of God, Will one be Thinking of his ...
... again? And with his eye fixed on the bites of bears, and the sponge-nets
of the net-fighters, can he be moved by compassion? May ...
/.../tertullian/the shows or de spectaculis/chapter xxv seated where there.htm

Preaching the Gospel, Healing the Sick
... The yellow coat is his protection from stings and bites, the tiny trousers from
measles, and longevity is secured by a heavy silver padlock, which hangs from ...
/.../the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xxii preaching the gospel.htm

Matt. x. 16
... "For thus shall I best show forth my might, when sheep get the better of wolves,
and being in the midst of wolves, and receiving a thousand bites, so far from ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xxxiii matt x 16.htm

Conclusion. Points Postponed all Souls are Kept in Hades Until the ...
... pass over it. [1837] The bites of wild beasts are a glory to young heroes,
as on Cyrus were the scars of the bear. [1838] Full well ...
/.../a treatise on the soul/chapter lviii conclusion points postponed all.htm

Bites (5 Occurrences)
...Bites (5 Occurrences). Genesis 49:17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder
in the path, That bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward. ...
/b/bites.htm - 7k

Bite (13 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To cause sharp pain, or smarting, to; to hurt or injure, in a literal
or a figurative sense; as, pepper bites the mouth. ...
/b/bite.htm - 12k

Viper (8 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, That bites
the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward. (See RSV NIV). ...
/v/viper.htm - 10k

Snake (43 Occurrences)
... their lips. (Selah.) (BBE). Proverbs 23:32 In the end, it bites like a snake,
and poisons like a viper. (WEB BBE NIV). Proverbs 30 ...
/s/snake.htm - 19k

Ostrich (9 Occurrences)
... lashes. The neck was long, covered with down, and the windpipe showed,
while large bites could be seen to slide down the gullet. ...
/o/ostrich.htm - 18k

Fly (33 Occurrences)
... These insects "inflict very painful bites with their jaws; gnaw and destroy clothes,
household furniture, leather, and articles of every kind, and either ...
/f/fly.htm - 26k

Tumbles (1 Occurrence)
... Tumbles (1 Occurrence). Genesis 49:17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder
in the path, That bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward. ...
/t/tumbles.htm - 6k

Rider (26 Occurrences)
... (WEY NIV). Genesis 49:17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path,
That bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward. ...
/r/rider.htm - 15k

Poisons (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Poisons (1 Occurrence). Proverbs 23:32 In the end,
it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper. (WEB NIV). ...
/p/poisons.htm - 6k

Poison-snakes (3 Occurrences)
... Numbers 21:6 Then the Lord sent poison-snakes among the people; and their bites
were a cause of death to numbers of the people of Israel. (BBE). ...
/p/poison-snakes.htm - 7k

Who was Dan in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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