What does צֶפַע (ṣepaʿ) mean in the Bible?
צֶפַע (ṣepaʿ): Viper characterized by its hissing threat display—a serpent that signals danger through acoustic and visual aggression
Hebrew · H6848
צֶפַע
A viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e. hissing )
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צֶפַע H6848
Pronunciation ṣepaʿ
What does צֶפַע (ṣepaʿ) mean in the Bible?
צֶפַע (ṣepaʿ): Viper characterized by its hissing threat display—a serpent that signals danger through acoustic and visual aggression
Full entry for צֶפַע (H6848) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6848?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a viper (1), like a viper (1), of vipers (1), the viper’s (1), vipers (1).
Where does צֶפַע (ṣepaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Proverbs 23:32. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (3), Jeremiah (1), Proverbs (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a viper 1× Isaiah 14:29
like a viper 1× Proverbs 23:32
of vipers 1× Isaiah 59:5
the viper’s 1× Isaiah 11:8
vipers 1× Jeremiah 8:17
Show sample aligned rows
Proverbs 23:32 וּֽכְצִפְעֹנִ֥י to like a viper Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 11:8 צִפְעוֹנִ֔י to the viper’s Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 14:29 צֶ֔פַע to a viper Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 59:5 צִפְעוֹנִי֙ to of vipers Noun - masculine singular Jeremiah 8:17 צִפְעֹנִ֔ים to vipers Noun - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Proverbs 23:32
Aligned rows 5
Books represented 3
Proverbs 1 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 1
Source forms
וּֽכְצִפְעֹנִ֥י 1x ū·ḵə·ṣip̄·‘ō·nî Proverbs 23:32
צֶ֔פַע 1x ṣe·p̄a‘ Isaiah 14:29
צִפְעוֹנִ֔י 1x ṣip̄·‘ō·w·nî Isaiah 11:8
צִפְעוֹנִי֙ 1x ṣip̄·‘ō·w·nî Isaiah 59:5
צִפְעֹנִ֔ים 1x ṣip̄·‘ō·nîm Jeremiah 8:17
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 3x Isaiah 11:8, Isaiah 14:29, Isaiah 59:5
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 23:32
Noun - masculine plural 1x Jeremiah 8:17
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Viper characterized by its hissing threat display—a serpent that signals danger through acoustic and visual aggression
Source Gloss
a viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e. hissing )
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Viper characterized by its hissing threat display—a serpent that signals danger through acoustic and visual aggression
a viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e. hissing) BDB: serpent Usage: adder, cockatrice.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Viper used metaphorically to describe the harmful effects of wine and drunkenness
Showing 1 selected witness from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain