What does the Bible say about snakes? Are snakes evil?

epheh, ἔχιδνα. All we learn from the passages that speak of the viper is that its bite was poisonous: "the viper's tongue shall slay him." When one fixed on Paul's hand they expected that he would drop down dead. What species of serpent is alluded to is unknown. It is only otherwise referred to in the N.T. as symbolical of evil ones. John the Baptist called the multitude who came to be baptised 'a brood of vipers,' and the Lord applies the same term to the scribes and Pharisees, showing the deadly character of their opposition. Job 20:16; Isa. 30:6; Isa. 59:5; Matt. 3:7; Matt. 12:34; Matt. 23:33; Luke 3:7; Acts 28:3.

The Hebrew word most commonly translated serpent is nachash, agreeing with ὄφις in the N.T., so called because of its 'hissing.' These words are used for the serpent that beguiled Eve, Gen. 3:1-14; 2 Cor. 11:3, and in other passages where Satan is alluded to. Isa. 27:1; Rev. 12:9-15; Rev. 20:2.

Satan has succeeded in causing the serpent to be worshipped all over the world. Nachash is also the word for the serpents that bit the Israelites in Num. 21:6-9. In Num. 21:8, for the serpent that Moses was told to make, the word is saraph, 'FIERY SERPENT,' signifying that the poison burnt like fire, as we say 'a burning pain,' though the serpents may also have been of a red colour. From the bite of these serpents much people died.

We are told in Rev. 12:9 and Rev. 20:2 very definitely that the serpent represents our great adversary the devil. The figure is apt in these points, deceit and death. The two most characteristic features of all sin I believe to be craft and cruelty. "Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations; O my soul, come not thou into their secret." (Gen. 49:5-6.) All the attributes of the father of sin are comprehended in these two terms, "A liar and a murderer." (John 8:44.) In the serpent this is graphically expressed: it is "more subtle than any beast of the field;" and under the hooded glory of the cobra lurks the malignant virus of death. If we could forget this, we should see that it is not without semblance of outward innocence and beauty, which, however, only makes it the more to be dreaded. As Montague the statesman said of Wharton two centuries since, "He is like a fire-ship: dangerous at best, most so as a consort, least so when showing hostile colours."

The poison of serpents and of asps is used in scripture symbolically for the judgement of God and for the malignity inherent in the wicked. Deut. 32:24, 33; Job 6:4; Job 20:16; Ps. 58:4; Ps. 140:3; Rom. 3:13. The tongue is "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." James 3:8. Job 6:4 apparently alludes to arrows being poisoned.

The word is pethen: it has been identified with the naja haje, a snake that has the power of expelling its deadly poison to some distance, which has caused the Dutch colonists at the Cape to call them the spitting snake. Its 'cruel venom' is used symbolically to describe the wine of the wicked (Deut. 32:33: cf. Rom. 3:13), and the inward misery of those who are secretly wicked, Job 20:14, 16. In the millennium a child will play harmlessly at its hole. Isa. 11:8.

Three other words are translated 'serpent:' zachal, Deut. 32:24; tannin Ex. 7:9-12 (to what particular species these refer is not known); and ἑρπετόν, James 3:7, this word refers to any creeping thing or reptile.

The taming and charming of serpents is alluded to, which shows that it was an ancient practice. Ps. 58:4-5; Ecc. 10:11; Jer. 8:17.

The Lord bade His disciples be as wise as serpents, probably an allusion to Gen. 3:1. The word 'subtil' there is translated by the same word in the LXX as used in this passage. It is 'prudence.'

Our section today commences (ver. 16) with "Behold" calling special attention. If sheep were simply exposed to wolves it would be bad enough, but to be sent among them is more serious still. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise (prudent) as serpents, and harmless (guileless) as doves." You want the combination. It is a sad thing to have only the prudence and a very weak thing to have only the guilelessness. I suppose to be prudent as serpents would save them from rashness, from running into danger; but on the other hand they were not to injure others. We never ought to give men just cause to charge us with anything unseemly. They had to be on their guard. "But beware of men." This supposes theirs was a testimony within the borders of Israel. The "men" here were their kinsmen, but their animosity to Christ would lead them to deliver up and scourge even those who were related to them.

From verse 16 the Lord warns them of the circumstances in which the gospel of the kingdom was to be preached. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." That is, He calls for prudence, heavenly prudence. There was to be entire holiness in the object and character of the prudence, and free from any just charge of being injurious to men. "But beware of men" — do not suppose that, although you go forth with love in your hearts, you will not meet with wolves. The Jews are plainly intimated. "Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings." While hating the Gentile yoke, they would be quite willing to invoke Gentile authority where it became a question of Christ's followers. The Jews would drag them before the Gentile kings and governors, abhorred as they were. But our Lord adds this gracious word — "for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles."

In the course of their journey through the wilderness the children of Israel continually murmured against God and against Moses, His representative. On the occasion described in Numbers 21, when the people murmured again and expressed their loathing of the manna, ‘Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, which bit the people; and much people of Israel died.’ The people acknowledged their sin and asked Moses to pray for them that the serpents might be taken away. Jehovah answered, not by taking the serpents away at once, but by instructing Moses to make a serpent of brass and lift it up on a pole that those who looked on it might live. This is most instructive. The murmuring of the people proceeded from their sinful human nature. We all have this sinful nature, and unless we are born again it is the only nature that we have. In effect, we have all been bitten by ‘the ancient serpent, he who is called Devil and Satan’ (Rev. 12:9). He is the origin of all the mischief, and sin is traced back to him. It was dealt with in Christ’s death for men that those who believe should not perish but have eternal life.

This time there was no semblance of excuse for their grumbling, except that they felt discouraged. Therefore God did not answer as He did in chapter 20:8, but rather sent a plague of fiery serpents among the people, so that many died when bitten (v.6). The serpent is typical of Satan, into whose snare Israel had already fallen by their unbelieving discouragement; so that God was now impressing on them what it means to let Satan take control of them.