Lexical Definition

‎שָׂרָף‎ sârâph (saw-rawf') serpent ^H:N-M
from ‎שָׂרַף‎

fiery (serpent), seraph.

• burning, i.e. (figuratively) poisonous (serpent)
• specifically, a saraph or symbolical creature (from their copper color)

1) serpent, fiery serpent
1a) poisonous serpent (fiery from burning effect of poison)
2) seraph, seraphim
2a) majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands or voices in attendance upon God

See Greek: ἀσπίς · ὄφις

Extended Information

• Seraph, seraphim

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎שָׂרָף‎ noun masculine^{Isa 14:29} a serpent, usually venomous (possibly from above √, from burning effect of poison); — absolute ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎ Num 21:8 (J E; on Arabic parallels see Jacob^{Arabic Dichter ii. 93, iv. 10 f.}), apposition ‎׳‎‎נָחָשׁ שׂ‎ Deut 8:15, plural ‎הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים‎ Num 21:6 a flying serpent, or dragon, ‎שָׂרָף מְעוֺפֵף‎ Isa 14:29; Isa 30:6.

II. [‎שָׂרָף‎] noun masculine^{Isa 6:2} plural ‎שְׂרָפִים‎ seraphim (probably akin to I. ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎, as beings originally mythically conceived with serpents' bodies (serpent-deities, compare Isa 14:29; Isa 30:6), or (Che^Comm.) personified of lightning, compare arts. SERAPHIM, Strachan^{Hast. DB} Che^{Ency. Bib}.; Di Marti and others compare also Egyptian guardian-griffins, called Šerref; see also ‎כְּרוּב‎; on Assyrian Šarrapu (-bu), epithet of god Nergal, connected by Dl^WB with √ ‎שָׂרַף‎, see ‎שָׁרָב‎, Zim^{KAT 3. 415}); — in OT. majestic beings with six wings, and human hands and voices, attendant upon ‎׳‎‎י‎ Isa 6:2; Isa 6:6.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References