Lexical Definition

‎נָחָשׁ‎ nâchâsh (naw-khawsh') serpent ^H:N-M
from ‎נָחַשׁ‎

serpent.

• a snake (from its hiss)

1) serpent, snake
1a) serpent
1b) image (of serpent)
1c) fleeing serpent (mythological)

See Greek: δράκων · ὄφις

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎נָחָשׁ‎ noun masculine^{Gen 3:1} serpent (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic serpent, viper (Lane^{406 anything} hunted) is compare by Lag^{M, i, 230}; BN 50, 188 Ba^{Es 48}, but improbable; Arabic see below [‎נָחַשׁ‎ below; on formation compare Lag^{BN 50}); — absolute ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Amos 5:19 +; construct ‎נְחַשׁ‎ Num 21:9 + 2 t.; plural ‎נְחָשִׁים‎ Num 21:6; Jer 8:17 —

1. serpent:
a. as biting, Amos 5:19; Eccl 10:8, in spite of charm (‎לַחַשׁ‎) vEccl 10:11 [compare Ecculs Eccl 12:13], Jer 8:17 (+ ‎צִפְעֹנִים‎; figurative of enemies); so ‎הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְׁרָפִים‎ Num 21:6 (deadly; J E; compare Jacob^{Arab. Dicht. iv. 10 ff.}), and singular vNum 21:9, also (collective) vNum 21:7 compare ‎שָׂרָף‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Deut 8:15 (+ ‎עַקְרָב‎); ‎׳‎‎נ‎ figurative of oppressor, ‎מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ יֵצֵא צֶפַע וּפִרְיוֺ שָׂרָף מְעוֺפֵף‎ Isa 14:29 figurative of Dan Gen 49:17 (poem in J; || ‎שְׁפִיפֹן‎); ‎׳‎‎הֲמַת נ‎ Ps 58:5* (simile of perniciousness of ungodly), compare ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Ps 140:4* simile of effect of wine Prov 22:32 (|| ‎צִפִעֹנִי‎).
b. rod becomes ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Exod 4:3 (J), compare Exod 7:15 (E); ‎׳‎‎עֲלֵי צוּר דֶּרֶךְ נ‎ Prov 30:19.
c. ‎׳‎‎נ‎ (apparently) as hissing Jer 46:22 (in simile, compare Gie); as eating dust Isa 65:25 compare Mic 7:17 (in simile; see also Gen 3:14).
d. as crafty tempter Gen 3:1; Gen 3:2; Gen 3:4; Gen 3:13; Gen 3:14.

2. ‎(הַ)נְּחשֶׁת‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎, bronze image of serpent Num 21:9 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 18:4 (compare ‎נְחֻשְׁתָּן‎).

3. mythological ‎בָּרִחַ‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Job 26:13 fleeing serpent, of eclipse-dragon (compare‎לִנְיָתָן‎ Job 3:6); also ‎בּרִחַ ֗֗֗ ‎ ‎׳‎‎לִוְיָתָן נ‎ ‎עֲקַלָּתוֺן‎ ‎׳‎‎לִוְיָתָן נ‎ Isa 27:1 (symbolic of world-powers); ‎׳‎‎נ‎ of sea-monster Amos 9:3. — ‎׳‎‎נ‎ with verb ‎נָשַׁךְ‎ bite Num 21:6 + 8 t. On supernatural character of serpents in Arabic belief see Nö^{Zeitschr. Für Völkerpsychol. i.(1860), 412-416} RS^{Kinship 197, Semitic i. 421 f.}, 2d ed, 442 We^{Skizzen iii.147, Arab. Heid. 2, 152 f.} Jacob^{Arab. Dicht. iv. 5}

Brown-Driver-Briggs References