נָחָשׁ

1. serpent:
\ \ a. as biting, Amos 5,19; Praed 10,8, in spite of charm (לַחַשׁ) vPraed 10,11 [compare Ecculs Praed 12,13], Jer 8,17 (+ צִפְעֹנִים; figurative of enemies); so הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְׁרָפִים 4 Mos 21,6 (deadly; J E; compare Jacob^{Arab. Dicht. iv. 10 ff.}), and singular v4 Mos 21,9, also (collective) v4 Mos 21,7 compare שָׂרָף ׳נ 5 Mos 8,15 (+ עַקְרָב); ׳נ figurative of oppressor, מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ יֵצֵא צֶפַע וּפִרְיוֺ שָׂרָף מְעוֺפֵף Es 14,29 figurative of Dan 1 Mos 49,17 (poem in J; || שְׁפִיפֹן); ׳הֲמַת נ Sl 58,5 (simile of perniciousness of ungodly), compare ׳נ Sl 140,4 simile of effect of wine Ord 22,32 (|| צִפִעֹנִי).
\ \ b. rod becomes ׳נ 2 Mos 4,3 (J), compare 2 Mos 7,15 (E); ׳עֲלֵי צוּר דֶּרֶךְ נ Ord 30,19.
\ \ c. ׳נ (apparently) as hissing Jer 46,22 (in simile, compare Gie); as eating dust Es 65,25 compare Mik 7,17 (in simile; see also 1 Mos 3,14).
\ \ d. as crafty tempter 1 Mos 3,1; 1 Mos 3,2; 1 Mos 3,4; 1 Mos 3,13; 1 Mos 3,14.

2. (הַ)נְּחשֶׁת ׳נ, bronze image of serpent 4 Mos 21,9 (twice in verse); 2 Kong 18,4 (compare נְחֻשְׁתָּן).

3. mythological בָּרִחַ ׳נ Job 26,13 fleeing serpent, of eclipse-dragon (compareלִנְיָתָן Job 3,6); also בּרִחַ ֗֗֗ ׳לִוְיָתָן נ עֲקַלָּתוֺן ׳לִוְיָתָן נ Es 27,1 (symbolic of world-powers); ׳נ of sea-monster Amos 9,3. — ׳נ with verb נָשַׁךְ bite 4 Mos 21,6 + 8 t. On supernatural character of serpents in Arabic belief see Nö^{Zeitschr. Für Völkerpsychol. i.(1860), 412-416} RS^{Kinship 197, Semitic i. 421 f.}, 2d ed, 442 We^{Skizzen iii.147, Arab. Heid. 2, 152 f.} Jacob^{Arab. Dicht. iv. 5}