Overview
The Bible addresses serpent across 49 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Closely related themes include Serpents, Women, Fall of Man and Temptation. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Moses, Adam, Dan and Eve.
Key Bible verses about serpent
Old Testament
Genesis
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Yea: Heb. Yea, because, etc.
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. pleasant: Heb. a desire
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. aprons: or, things to gird about
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. cool: Heb. wind
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. an adder: Heb. an arrow-snake
Exodus
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.
Numbers
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Deuteronomy
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. heat: Heb. coals
Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
Psalms
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; like the poison: Heb. according to the likeness, etc adder: or, asp
Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. charming: or, be the charmer never so cunning
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
Proverbs
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. an: or, a cockatrice
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. midst: Heb. heart
Ecclesiastes
Isaiah
Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. cockatrice: or, adder
The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
New Testament
Matthew
Acts
1 Corinthians
People in the Bible and serpent
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying serpent for yourself
- Begin with Genesis 3:1, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Genesis, Numbers and Deuteronomy each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Moses, Adam and Dan and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Serpents, Women, Fall of Man and Temptation.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about serpent?
The Bible addresses serpent across 49 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Closely related themes include Serpents, Women, Fall of Man and Temptation. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Moses, Adam, Dan and Eve.
How many Bible verses are about serpent?
The Bible references serpent in 49 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention serpent?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 3:1: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Yea: Heb. Yea, because, etc.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with serpent?
Moses, Adam, Dan and Eve.
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