What does נָחָשׁ (nāḥāš) mean in the Bible?
נָחָשׁ (nāḥāš): Serpent; symbol of deception and evil in theological narratives, especially Genesis 3 temptation account
Hebrew · H5175
נָחָשׁ
A snake (from its hiss)
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נָחָשׁH5175
Pronunciationnāḥāš
What does נָחָשׁ (nāḥāš) mean in the Bible?
נָחָשׁ (nāḥāš): Serpent; symbol of deception and evil in theological narratives, especially Genesis 3 temptation account
Full entry for נָחָשׁ (H5175) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5175?
The BSB source-word alignment has 31 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the serpent (5), serpent (4), snakes (4), snake (3), a snake (2).
Where does נָחָשׁ (nāḥāš) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 3:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (6), Numbers (5), Isaiah (4), Amos (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe serpent5×Genesis 3:2, Genesis 3:4, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 3:14
serpent4×Job 26:13, Isaiah 27:1, Jeremiah 46:22
snakes4×Numbers 21:6, Deuteronomy 8:15, Psalms 140:3, Jeremiah 8:17
snake3×Numbers 21:9, 2 Kings 18:4
a snake2×Genesis 49:17, Exodus 4:3
by a snake2×Ecclesiastes 10:8, Amos 5:19
like a snake2×Proverbs 23:32, Micah 7:17
of a snake2×Psalms 58:4, Proverbs 30:19
. . .1×Numbers 21:9
into a snake1×Exodus 7:15
Now the serpent1×Genesis 3:1
of the serpent1×Isaiah 65:25
of the snake1×Isaiah 14:29
the snake1×Ecclesiastes 10:11
the snakes1×Numbers 21:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 3:1וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙toNow the serpentConjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 3:2הַנָּחָ֑שׁtothe serpentArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 3:4הַנָּחָ֖שׁtothe serpentArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 3:13הַנָּחָ֥שׁtoThe serpentArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 3:14הַנָּחָשׁ֮tothe serpentArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 49:17נָחָ֣שׁtoa snakeNoun - masculine singularExodus 4:3לְנָחָ֑שׁtoa snakePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularExodus 7:15לְנָחָ֖שׁtointo a snakePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularNumbers 21:6הַנְּחָשִׁ֣יםtosnakesArticle | Noun - masculine pluralNumbers 21:7הַנָּחָ֑שׁtothe snakesArticle | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 3:1
Aligned rows31
Books represented13
Genesis6Exodus2Numbers5Deuteronomy12 Kings1Job1Psalms2Proverbs2Ecclesiastes2Isaiah4Jeremiah2Amos2Micah1
Source forms
הַנָּחָ֖שׁ3xhan·nā·ḥāšGenesis 3:4, Ecclesiastes 10:11, Amos 9:3
הַנָּחָ֑שׁ2xhan·nā·ḥāšGenesis 3:2, Numbers 21:7
נָחָ֣שׁ2xnā·ḥāšGenesis 49:17, Isaiah 27:1
הַנָּחָ֥שׁ1xhan·nā·ḥāšGenesis 3:13
הַנָּחָשׁ֮1xhan·nā·ḥāšGenesis 3:14
הַנָּחָשׁ֙1xhan·nā·ḥāšNumbers 21:9
הַנָּחָֽשׁ׃1xhan·nā·ḥāšAmos 5:19
הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים1xhan·nə·ḥā·šîmNumbers 21:6
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular10xGenesis 49:17, Deuteronomy 8:15, Job 26:13, Psalms 58:4
Article | Noun - masculine singular9xGenesis 3:2, Genesis 3:4, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 3:14
Noun - masculine singular construct3xNumbers 21:9, 2 Kings 18:4
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular2xJeremiah 46:22, Micah 7:17
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular2xExodus 4:3, Exodus 7:15
Article | Noun - masculine plural1xNumbers 21:6
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular1xIsaiah 65:25
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular1xGenesis 3:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Serpent; symbol of deception and evil in theological narratives, especially Genesis 3 temptation account
Source Gloss
a snake (from its hiss)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Serpent; symbol of deception and evil in theological narratives, especially Genesis 3 temptation account
a snake (from its hiss) BDB: serpent Usage: serpent.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Miraculous transformation of staff into snake, demonstrating divine power
Metaphorical serpent symbolizing danger, threat, or enemy nation's threat
Literal snakes as divine punishment, agents of God's judgment on people
Snake's movement on rock used in wisdom context, illustrating mysterious natural phenomena
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 31 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נָחָשׁ is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.