Snakes in the Bible: Not All Bad

Snakes in the Bible have a bad rap. Right from the beginning, the Devil himself is personified as a serpent. The religious elite of Jesus’ time are likened to venomous vipers. Elsewhere, however, believers are instructed to be like snakes. Jesus even speaks of himself as a snake of sorts.  

Let’s take a closer look at how the Bible speaks about serpents — the good, the bad, and the serpentine craftiness believers should exude.

PERSONIFICATION OF EVIL

Okay, let’s get the obvious association over with. Right from the beginning, the Devil is personified as a serpent. 

The serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:1-5)

The Devil, in the form of a serpent, deceives the first people on earth, causing them to rebel against God. Sin enters the world. Death too. All because of that sneaky snake, Satan. The same serpentine imagery is used at the end of the Bible.

The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world — he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Rev 12:9)

This is where the bad reputation comes from. Whether justified or not, snakes often represent evil in the Bible.

CURSED CREATURES

Following the Devil's appearance as a serpent, all snakes were banished to the ground. 

Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. (Gen 3:14)

Without limbs, they would thereafter slither with their belly. And not just on the “ground” (Hebrew ăḏāmâ) but through the “dust” (ʿāp̄ār). Now, there is clearly some figurative language here, since all snakes have been carnivores (meat eaters) since the Garden of Eden. Therefore, “dust you shall eat” must refer to their position rather than their nutrition, similar to the modern-day phrase “eating dust” means “losing the race” rather than actually consuming dirt. 

Interestingly, the curses of man and serpent both involve dust. Man’s curse:

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Gen 3:19)

Dust in the Bible was dry, powdery, unformed debris. It could refer to ash or raw ore. It was unformed and without use. Rubbish even. A far cry from the solid ground (“land”, “earth”) Adam was formed from. Later in the Bible, the prophet Micah noted the relationship of snakes with dust. 

[The pagan nations] shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to the Lord our God, and they shall be in fear of you. (Mic 7:17)

However, in a vision of the redemption of creation, the prophet Isaiah notes: 

The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. (Is 65:25)

Although dust was part of the curse of sin, it seems to be part of how God will redeem the world in the end. No longer will serpents strike or consume other creatures but will find nourishment from the very dust they were cursed to crawl through. Perhaps snakes will actually consume dust one day?

Either way, the curse of sin led to both man and serpents to be connected to the dust. 

DEADLY VENOM

Snakes are dangerous. Their venom is lethal to any creature that is unfortunate enough to be bitten. The writers of the Bible knew this very well — it’s a theme that recurs throughout Scripture. 

[The tribe of] Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels so that his rider falls backward. (Gen 49:17)

They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps. (Ps 140:3)

In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. (Pr 23:32)

He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. (Ecc 10:8)

Jesus and John the Baptist likened the religious elite of their time to venomous snakes: 

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Mt 3:7)

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? (Mt 23:33)

Although many snakes in Palestine are non-venomous, multiple species of viper are native to the area. Upon biting, their long fangs deliver venom deep into their prey, which paralyzes muscles and destroys tissue on contact. Because snakes are cold-blooded, they need to absorb heat from external sources (like the sun). In winter, when outside temperatures are fatal to snakes, they hibernate in groups to keep warm. A hibernaculum is the site of dozens of sleeping snakes, typically underground in crevices, caves, or pits. Stepping in such a pit of vipers would lead to dozens of lethal bites. 

However, Jesus predicted that believers would be divinely protected from harm (both natural and spiritual). Even deadly venom wouldn’t harm them.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. (Luke 10:19)

They will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:18)

We see this very thing in the book of Acts when Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. 

When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. (Acts 28:3)

Although the local residents fully expected him to die, he was unharmed. Paul wasn’t divine, as the people of Malta mistakenly presumed, but his protection was. 

Again, in Isaiah’s vision of a redeemed creation, snakes were no longer dangerous.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. (Is 11:8)

Here’s the point: snakes are full of deadly venom, with a propensity to gather together for increased toxicity. Wicked people are similarly dangerous, but the Lord can protect believers from even the most lethal harm.

DIVINE INTERVENTION

Now we come to the interesting case of Aaron’s staff.

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. (Exodus 7:8-13)

Any straight piece of wood (like a staff) naturally resembles the long, thin body of a snake. However, it’s interesting that God would choose a serpent as an instrument of his divine judgment, given that they’re so strongly associated with evil. The Hebrew word used here isn’t like all the other words for “snake” in the Old Testament. Most of the time we see nāḥāš (Strong’s number H5175, “serpent”, “snake”), but here we see tannîn (H8577), which is most often translated as “sea monster” or “dragon”. It hints at what a snake might look like prior to the curse of sin, that is, when it still had limbs. 

So God created the great sea creatures (tannîn) and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Gen 1:21)

In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent (nāḥāš), Leviathan the twisting serpent (nāḥāš), and he will slay the dragon (tannîn) that is in the sea. (Is 27:1)

Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures (tannîn) and all deeps. (Ps 148:7)

Tannîn is of a mythical creature, a reptilian monster, than a typical snake. Was Aaron’s staff changed into a regular snake or some unnatural creature? It’s anyone’s guess. Either way, it was an instrument of God’s sovereignty.

LOOK AND LIVE

During Israel’s journey through the desert, the book of Numbers records that they complained bitterly about their lack of food and water, despite divine provision up until then. Consequently, 

The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died… And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Num 21:6,8-9)

The Hebrew word for serpent here is nāḥāš (H5175), again, the most common term for “snake”. However, the descriptor śārāp̄ (H8314) is unusual. In the Bible, seraphim were heavenly beings with six wings that attended to God. They blazed with glory and were terrifying to anyone who saw them. In fact, their name is almost identical to the Hebrew word for “burn” (śārap̄). The “fiery serpents” that Moses witnessed seem to be unnatural creatures that were divinely appointed to intervene in the affairs of men. Like Aaron’s staff, these may have been divinely appointed creatures not normally found in the animal kingdom. In response to the fiery serpents that were killing the Israelites, Moses crafted a bronze replica. Perhaps the shiny yellow hue of bronze most closely resembled the color of these unusual snakes. Mounted on a pole, those who kept their gaze on the bronze snake would be saved. 

Ironically, the snake on a pole was worshipped as an idol generations later. The icon remained with Israel for hundreds of years until it was destroyed by King Hezekiah. 

He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). (2 Ki 18:4)

This Jewish symbol of healing has been suggested as one of the origins of the modern medical symbol of snakes wrapped around a pole.

The story of Moses’ bronze snake was a foreshadow of Jesus’ death thousands of years later. 

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. (Jn 3:14)

In a bizarre twist, Jesus likens himself to a serpent. However, in this context, such a parallel wasn’t unreasonable. After all, like a snake, Christ was both deadly and cursed. 

I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Mt 10:34)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. (Gal 3:13)

Because of his divine power and selfless sacrifice, those who looked to him would be escape the curse of sin and escape spiritual death. 

In the Bible, snakes often represent evil However, one a particular serpent on a pole represented life for all those who would look to him. Even the most loathsome creature can be redeemed by Christ, sinners and snakes alike.

PATIENT AND POTENT

Finally, we come to a passage where Jesus teaches his disciples to become like snakes. 

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Mt 10:16)

This occurred in the midst of instructing his followers how to conduct themselves in a treacherous world. Despite the danger, Christ’s disciples have an important job: establish the kingdom of God on earth. To do this, they must be as “innocent as doves”. Easy enough to understand — we must be free from sin and avoid even the appearance of evil (Heb 12:1-2; Rom 6; Jude 20-24). But what does it mean to be as “wise as serpents”? There’s little in the Bible itself to shed light on such teaching — nowhere else are we told be like snakes or any other creature for that matter. Thus, we must examine the nature of snakes themselves to discover the truth of Jesus’ words. 

First, when was the last time you saw a snake chasing after its prey? Never. They sit and wait. Patience is prime to a serpent. They don’t force the issue, they don’t strive after the wind, they don’t “run aimlessly” or “box as one beating the air” (1 Cor 9:26). Instead, they choose their moments and act decisively. 

Second, although they don’t chase after prey, when an opportunity comes along, they strike with lightning speed. No waffling over signs, no turning back, no indecision. 

Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9:61-62)

As such, the eyes of believers are to be fixed the ultimate goal, while walking straight along the narrow road. 

Third, nothing is more lethal than a snake’s venomous bite. When it bites, it is effective. 

If these [godly] qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:8)

Believers must be potent. When we go to battle against the darkness, we must be deadly. Our swords must be sharp.

Looking back at that scene in the Garden of Eden, we notice that “the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made” (Gen 3:1). Snakes were created this way as an example to us. We should similarly be crafty. To be “wise as serpents” is to be patient, decisive, and effective. Our time on earth is short; the kingdom of God must be our top priority. No wasted effort, no missed opportunity.

SUMMARY

Few creatures on earth evoke such visceral loathing as snakes, and for good reason. Anyone who gets within striking distance risks their life. Adam and Eve learned the hard way when they allowed themselves to be led astray by Satan, who took the form of a serpent. Since then, snakes have been associated with evil and the animosity between man and serpent has persisted throughout human history. But this isn’t the whole story. 

We share a similar curse — dust is unavoidable for both serpents and humanity.  However, at the end of this age, all deadly creatures will be redeemed by their Creator. Snakes included. In fact, Christ likened himself to a snake, a cursed creature who was lifted up so others could turn to him and live. Similarly, the Bible tells us the qualities that make a snake so deadly are exactly those we should adopt to be effective in God’s kingdom. 

Therefore, when it comes to snakes in the Bible, perhaps their sinister reputation isn’t completely deserved. They’re not all bad. In fact, we could learn a thing or two from these crafty creatures. 

© D. B. Ryen Incorporated, June 2025.

All Scripture quotations are from The English Standard Bible (ESV). Crossway, 2001. 

Bronze snake illustration adapted from The Story of Jesus: All Four Gospels In One (Study Bible).