I. נָחָשׁ noun masculine^{Genesis 3:1} serpent (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic serpent, viper (Lane^406anything 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 Numbers 21:9 2t.; plural נְחָשִׁים Numbers 21:6; Jeremiah 8:17; —

1 serpent:

a. as biting, Amos 5:19; Ecclesiastes 10:8, in spite of charm (לַחַשׁ) Ecclesiastes 10:11 [compare Ecculs Ecclesiastes 12:13], Jeremiah 8:17 (+ צִפְעֹנִים; figurative of enemies); so הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְׁרָפִים Numbers 21:6 (deadly; J E; compare Jacob^{Arab. Dicht. iv. 10 ff.}), and singular Numbers 21:9, also (collective) Numbers 21:7 compare שָׂרָף ׳נ Deuteronomy 8:15 (+ עַקְרָב); ׳נ figurative of oppressor, מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ יֵצֵא צֶפַע וּפִרְיוֺ שָׂרָף מְעוֺפֵף Isaiah 14:29; figurative of Dan Genesis 49:17 (poem in J; "" שְׁפִיפֹן); ׳הֲמַת נ Psalm 58:5 (simile of perniciousness of ungodly), compare ׳נ Psalm 140:4; simile of effect of wine Proverbs 22:32 ("" צִפִעֹנִי).

b. rod becomes ׳נ Exodus 4:3 (J), compare Exodus 7:15 (E); ׳עֲלֵי צוּר דֶּרֶךְ נ Proverbs 30:19.

c. ׳נ (apparently) as hissing Jeremiah 46:22 (in simile, compare Gie); as eating dust Isaiah 65:25 compare Micah 7:17 (in simile; see also Genesis 3:14).

d. as crafty tempter Genesis 3:1,2,4,13,14.

2 (הַ)נְּחשֶׁת ׳נ, bronze image of serpent Numbers 21:9 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 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 Isaiah 27:1 (symbolic of world-powers); ׳נ of sea-monster Amos 9:3. — ׳נ with verb נָשַׁךְ bite Numbers 21:6 8t. 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}