The Serpent

Illustration of The Serpent

The serpent enters Scripture as the subtle deceiver in Eden, tempting Eve to doubt God's word and bringing sin into the world. Throughout the Bible the serpent represents Satan and deception, yet it is also strangely redemptive: Moses lifted a bronze serpent in the wilderness so that those who looked would live, an image Jesus applied to his own crucifixion. From Genesis to Revelation the serpent is finally crushed underfoot.

0:00
Strongest connections in Scripture
Genesis 3

Key Passages

The Serpent in Eden

Genesis 3:1-7

The subtle serpent tempts Eve to doubt and disobey God, bringing sin and death into the world.

N1ow 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?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 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. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 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. 6 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. 7 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.

Explore Related

Characters

Eve Eve is recognized in the Bible as the first woman, formed by God from one of Adam's ribs to serve as hisโ€ฆ Adam Adam is described in the Bible as the first human being, formed by God from the dust of the ground andโ€ฆ Satan / The Devil In Scripture, Satan is depicted as a once-high angelic being who rebelled against God and was cast out ofโ€ฆ Moses Moses was a prophet chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt during the Exodus. Throughโ€ฆ

Places

Garden of Eden The Garden of Eden was the paradise created by God as the original home for Adam and Eve, the first humans,โ€ฆ

Did You Know?

1

The serpent is the first and last animal villain in the Bible - Genesis and Revelation both.

2

Revelation identifies 'that old serpent' directly as the devil and Satan.

3

Moses' bronze serpent, lifted on a pole, healed those who looked - a picture Jesus applied to the cross.

4

God's promise that the serpent's head would be crushed is the Bible's first hint of the gospel.