Venomous
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In the Bible, the term "venomous" is often associated with serpents and other creatures that possess the ability to inflict harm through their poisonous bites or stings. The imagery of venomous creatures is frequently used metaphorically to describe the destructive power of sin, evil, and deceit.

Old Testament References

The concept of venomous creatures is introduced early in the Scriptures. In Genesis 3:1, the serpent is described as "more cunning than any beast of the field" , setting the stage for its role in the temptation and fall of humanity. Although the serpent in Genesis is not explicitly described as venomous, its association with deception and sin is clear.

In Deuteronomy 32:33, the venom of serpents is used metaphorically to describe the bitterness and destructive nature of Israel's enemies: "Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras" . This passage highlights the lethal and corrupting influence of those who oppose God's people.

The Book of Job also references venomous creatures. In Job 20:16, the wicked are said to "suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill them" . Here, venom symbolizes the inevitable consequences of living a life contrary to God's righteousness.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, venomous imagery is used to illustrate the harmful nature of sinful speech and behavior. James 3:8 describes the tongue as "a restless evil, full of deadly poison" , emphasizing the potential for words to cause great harm and destruction, much like the bite of a venomous creature.

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 3:13, quotes from the Psalms to describe the sinful nature of humanity: "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The venom of vipers is on their lips" . This passage underscores the pervasive and deadly nature of sin, likening it to the venom of serpents.

Symbolism and Theological Implications

Venomous creatures in the Bible often symbolize the presence and effects of sin and evil. The imagery serves as a powerful reminder of the destructive power of sin and the need for vigilance and reliance on God's protection and grace. The metaphor of venom highlights the insidious nature of sin, which can infiltrate and corrupt the heart and mind, leading to spiritual death.

The Bible also provides hope and deliverance from the power of venomous sin through faith in Jesus Christ. In Mark 16:18, Jesus promises that His followers "will pick up snakes with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them" . This assurance points to the ultimate victory over sin and evil through the power of Christ's resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

In summary, the concept of venomous creatures in the Bible serves as a vivid illustration of the dangers of sin and the need for divine intervention and redemption. Through the lens of Scripture, believers are called to recognize the deadly nature of sin and to seek refuge in the saving grace of God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (a.) Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous.

2. (a.) Having a poison gland or glands for the secretion of venom, as certain serpents and insects.

3. (a.) Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer.

Greek
2342. therion -- a wild beast
... venomous, wild beast. Diminutive from the same as thera; a dangerous animal --
(venomous, wild) beast. see GREEK thera. (theria) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2342.htm - 7k

2191. echidna -- a viper
... This the bitter for the sweet, light for darkness, etc. 2191 ("viper")
then suggests the venomous desire to what is for what is . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2191.htm - 6k

3644. olothreutes -- a destroyer
... destroyer. From olothreuo; a ruiner, ie (specially), a venomous serpent -- destroyer.
see GREEK olothreuo. (olothreutou) -- 1 Occurrence. 3643b, 3644. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3644.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
6620. pethen -- (a venomous serpent) perhaps cobra
... 6619, 6620. pethen. 6621 . (a venomous serpent) perhaps cobra. Transliteration:
pethen Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-then) Short Definition: cobra. ...
/hebrew/6620.htm - 6k

660. epheh -- (a kind of) viper
... viper. From epha' (in the sense of hissing); an asp or other venomous serpent --
viper. see HEBREW epha'. 659, 660. epheh. 661 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/660.htm - 6k

Library

Now Suppose that While You were Writing This, as You Tell us You ...
... about to write down as Adamantine because of the merit of his praise-worthy labours,
did not write books for the edification of the soul but venomous heresies. ...
/.../21 now suppose that while.htm

The Life of St. Patrick
... And furthermore he impetred and gat grace of our Lord that no venomous beast might
live in all the country, and yet unto this day is no venomous beast in all ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the life of st patrick.htm

Felicitous Phrases
... birth, rank, and fortune. bitter, baleful, and venomous. bland, patient, and methodical. ...
copious, redundant, and involved. corroding, venomous, and malignant. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section iii felicitous phrases.htm

Only Chapter Treats of the Great Importance of Perseverance in ...
... While in this state we continually fall into sin and rise again, for the creatures
amongst whom we dwell are so venomous, so vicious, and so dangerous, that it ...
/.../teresa/the interior castle or the mansions/only chapter treats of the.htm

The Teaching of the Boisterous and Untaught, Desiring to Love: and ...
... Therefore beware, and in the good beginning of thy conversation keep no speech with
women's fairness lest receiving thereof the venomous sickness of lust for ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xxix the teaching of.htm

That Perfect Love Binds to God Without Loosing and Makes Man ...
... AND OF THE NATURE OF TRUE LOVE, STABLE AND AY-LASTING, SWEET, SOFT, AND
PROFITABLE: AND OF FALSE LOVE; VENOMOUS, FOUL, AND UNCLEAN. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xi that perfect love.htm

Hell.
... by man, but there is some circumstance or other attends it that makes it, when charged
home by God's law, bigger and sharper and more venomous and poisonous to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxviii hell.htm

A Believer's Privilege at Death
... The Persians had a certain day in the year in which they killed all serpents and
venomous creatures; such a day will the day of death be to a believer; it will ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/2 a believers privilege at.htm

The Long, Rough Road He Trod
... bitterness. The visits to Jerusalem were accompanied by fiercer attacks, venomous
discussions, and frenzied attempts at personal violence. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on following the christ/the long rough road he.htm

Christ's First and Last Subject
... a picture of penitence in this first stage, I should portray a man with his eyes
bandaged walking through a path infested with the most venomous vipers; vipers ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/christs first and last subject.htm

Thesaurus
Venomous (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous;
as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous. ...Venomous (4 Occurrences). ...
/v/venomous.htm - 8k

Adder (9 Occurrences)
... (2.) Pethen ("twisting"), a viper or venomous serpent identified with the
cobra (Naja haje) (Psalm 58:4; 91:13); elsewhere "asp.". ...
/a/adder.htm - 11k

Poison (17 Occurrences)
... (1.) Hebrews hemah, "heat," the poison of certain venomous reptiles (Deuteronomy
32:24, 33; Job 6:4; Psalm 58:4), causing inflammation. ...
/p/poison.htm - 17k

Cockatrice (3 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A venomous serpent which cannot now be identified. 4. (n.) Any venomous
or deadly thing. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. COCKATRICE. ...
/c/cockatrice.htm - 10k

Vent (8 Occurrences)

/v/vent.htm - 9k

Venom (8 Occurrences)

/v/venom.htm - 8k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... While not always clearly indicating a venomous serpent, it frequently does: eg Psalm
58:4; Psalm 140:3 Proverbs 23:32 Ecclesiastes 10:8, 11 Isaiah 14:29 ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Vengeance (63 Occurrences)
... Acts 28:4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they
said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath ...
/v/vengeance.htm - 26k

Viper (8 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous makes belonging to Vipera,
Clotho, Daboia, and other genera of the family Viperidae. ...
/v/viper.htm - 10k

Imitate (13 Occurrences)
... object) in form, color, ornamentation, or instinctive habits, so as to derive an
advantage thereby; as, when a harmless snake imitates a venomous one in color ...
/i/imitate.htm - 10k

Resources
What does the Bible say about snake handling? Should we be handling snakes in church? | GotQuestions.org

Why did John the Baptist refer to the Pharisees as a brood of vipers? | GotQuestions.org

What is the proper way to handle sin in my life? | GotQuestions.org

Venomous: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Venomous (4 Occurrences)

Mark 16:18
They shall take up venomous snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison it shall do them no harm whatever. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and the sick shall recover."
(WEY)

Acts 28:4
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
(KJV ASV)

Deuteronomy 8:15
who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint;
(See NIV)

Isaiah 14:29
Be not glad, O Philistia, all of you, because the rod which was on you is broken: for out of the snake's root will come a poison-snake, and its fruit will be a winged poison-snake.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Venomous

Related Terms

Discharge (30 Occurrences)

Belch (1 Occurrence)

Venomous (4 Occurrences)

Vented (1 Occurrence)

Unvented (1 Occurrence)

Outlet (3 Occurrences)

Gutter (3 Occurrences)

Gulf (3 Occurrences)

Wine-skins (7 Occurrences)

Wineskins (7 Occurrences)

Flasks (3 Occurrences)

Fervent (10 Occurrences)

Throw (135 Occurrences)

Raise (175 Occurrences)

Event (14 Occurrences)

Emit (1 Occurrence)

Maccabees

Picker (1 Occurrence)

Prevent (32 Occurrences)

Bottles (12 Occurrences)

Burst (33 Occurrences)

Breathing (25 Occurrences)

Bush (14 Occurrences)

Convent

Antiochians

Apron (1 Occurrence)

Advent (1 Occurrence)

Air (74 Occurrences)

Hagar (15 Occurrences)

Scope (3 Occurrences)

Spike (1 Occurrence)

Suppress (1 Occurrence)

Hannah (13 Occurrences)

Inwards (24 Occurrences)

Break (257 Occurrences)

Skins (27 Occurrences)

Joab (128 Occurrences)

Belly (62 Occurrences)

Breast (71 Occurrences)

Apostle (25 Occurrences)

John (154 Occurrences)

Venom
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