What Does The Bible Say About Snakes
Snakes are an important part of the Bible. They’re mentioned over 50 times in the Old Testament and over 20 times in the New Testament—and for good reason: God used snakes to speak with His prophets throughout history!
Numbers 21:8
Numbers 21:8
The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned in that we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
Then God sent fiery serpents among them; and they bit them; so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses, and said to him, “We have sinned in that we have spoken against Yahweh and against you; pray to Yahweh that he take away these serpents from us!” And Moses prayed for them (NKJV).
Genesis 3:1-15
In Genesis 3:1-15, God punishes Adam and Eve for disobeying God’s orders. He punishes them by making them mortal. He also told them that they would have to work hard to sustain themselves in the future. The snake is used as a symbol of evil, temptation, and Satan himself because it was the snake who tempted Eve into eating from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden.
In addition, scholars have often interpreted Genesis 3:14-15 as an allusion to an ancient Near Eastern myth about a serpent that defeats its enemy Baal (in this case, YHWH) by tricking him into giving up his sacred tree (the Tree of Life). In other words, this story may very well be designed to show how both man and woman fell into sin by listening to their hearts instead of following what YHWH had told them earlier on.”
Exodus 4:2-4
In Exodus 4:2-4, God instructed Moses to put a bronze snake on a pole, so that whoever looked at it would be healed. In this passage, the snake was considered a symbol of healing and protection.
However, in other parts of the Bible (see Numbers 21:6-9), snakes were considered symbols of evil and temptation.
Additionally, in Isaiah 65:25, snakes are used as symbols for those who look down upon others as inferior.
In this verse from the book of Genesis 3:1-5 (see also John 3), snakes represent death because they can kill with their venomous bites or through suffocation when they coil around a person’s neck or waistline until no air can get through his/her body anymore (this last part is illustrated by how Pharaoh’s army died after being bitten by poisonous serpents during their pursuit after Moses).
Isaiah 27:1
The Bible mentions snakes in several places. For example, the book of Isaiah includes a reference to them:
“The Lord is about to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants” (Isaiah 27:1).
Job 5
Job 5
You are not righteous; you ask for things you do not deserve.
This chapter opens with a series of questions directed at Job from his friends. These questions sound like accusations and make it seem as though Job is being held accountable for something he has done wrong, when in reality he has done nothing wrong at all! The first question asks, “Have you sinned?” If this was true, then why did God allow Satan to afflict him? The answer is simple: it was not because Job had sinned but because God wanted to test His faithfulness by allowing Satan to afflict him.[1] Nowhere does the Bible say that we should not ask questions; however, sometimes there are better ways of asking them than others—this case would be one example where asking in this manner will bring about unwanted results.[2]
John 3:14-15
John 3:14-15 says, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
We don’t want to give the impression that snakes are evil. They aren’t. But they are dangerous, and they should be treated with respect and caution.
You may not know this, but snakes can be helpful! They keep insect populations under control and eat rodents that could otherwise wreak havoc on your lawn or garden. If you’ve got a snake problem in your home, consider allowing one of these helpful creatures to live there with you as a companion (rather than killing it).
Acts 28:1-6
Paul, who was bitten by a snake on the island of Malta, was bitten in prison.
Snakes are important in the Bible due to the snake in the Garden of Eden.
Snakes are an important symbol in the Bible due to their connection with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. This snake, who was disguised as a human, tempted Eve by telling her that if she ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, she would be like God (Genesis 3:5). Since snakes are seen as symbols of evil, they take on this meaning when they appear in stories throughout Scripture.
However, there are also times when snakes can represent wisdom—such as when it comes to healing. In Numbers 21:5-9 we read about how Moses’ brother Aaron threw down his rod which turned into a serpent (an act known as “laying hands”). The people were afraid but Moses told them not to worry because God sent him so that he could turn their rivers into blood (vss 9-12).
I have to admit, I was surprised by the number of Bible verses about snakes. It turns out that there are several passages that mention snakes and their role in creation. In addition to these, there are also many verses about a snake in the Garden of Eden who tempts Eve into eating from the forbidden tree. However, this is not just about one snake; instead it represents all those who seek power over others through deception or violence (Genesis 3:1-15). In fact, throughout history God has often used serpents as symbols of evil forces working against humanity (John 3:14-15). For example, when Jesus Christ came down from heaven he was described in scripture as being like a mighty serpent who could heal all diseases on earth (Acts 28:1-6).