נָחָשׁ (H5175) — Hebrew Lexicon

נָחָשׁ

𐤍𐤇𐤔

nâchâsh

H5175 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נחשׁ to practice divination, to hiss, to whisper, to observe signs

Definition

A serpent or snake, referring primarily to legless, elongated reptiles found in the land of Israel; may denote any kind of snake, venomous or harmless, but in some contexts carries symbolic or mythological significance. In narrative and poetic literature, used both for literal animals and as metaphors for danger, cunning, or chaos.

Semantic Range

snake, serpent, (mythological or symbolic) dragon or sea monster, bronze serpent (as an object), metaphor for danger or cunning

Root / Etymology

From the root נחשׁ (נ-ח-שׁ), which in verbal form (נָחַשׁ) means 'to practice divination' or 'to observe signs or omens.' However, the noun נָחָשׁ likely derives from an older, independent root signifying 'snake' or shares affinity with cognate words for 'serpent' in other Semitic languages. The connection between the verbal and nominal forms may be associative (snakes as omens), but the precise etymology is debated.

Historical & Contextual Notes

During the pre-monarchic and monarchic periods, נָחָשׁ commonly referred to the common snakes of ancient Canaan, some of which were venomous. In narratives (e.g., Genesis 3), the snake is depicted as a speaking creature with cunning, later viewed symbolically as an adversary or tempter. In Numbers 21, נָחָשׁ designates both real and symbolic venomous snakes, as well as the bronze serpent (נְחֻשְׁתָּן) made by Moses. Later traditions (especially in the Second Temple period and Rabbinic writings) interpret the figure allegorically, but the biblical contextual focus is zoological and occasionally mythopoetic (e.g., Isaiah 27:1, where sea monsters are parallel to נָחָשׁ). English translations often use 'serpent' or 'snake,' but 'serpent' sometimes imports later theological concepts, while the original word did not connote supernatural evil. In some later texts, related forms are connected with divinatory practices, a semantic overlap found across Semitic cognates but not definitive for the animal noun in Biblical Hebrew.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נָחַשׁ; a snake (from its hiss); serpent.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נחשׁ (n-ḥ-š) — divination, hissing, whispering, observing signs

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H5154	נְחוּשָׁה	like copper
H5172	נָחַשׁ	intensively practice divination
H5176	נָחָשׁ	serpent
H5177	נַחְשׁוֹן	Nachshon
H5179	נְחֻשְׁתָּא	Nehushta
H5904	עִיר נָחָשׁ	serpent

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H5175-06`	נָחָ֣שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	serpent	serpent	10
`H5175-01`	הַ/נָּחָ֑שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent	9
`H5175-07`	נְחַ֣שׁ	nechash	`HNcmsc`	a serpent	serpent of	3
`H5175-05`	לְ/נָחָ֑שׁ	lenachash	`HR/Ncmsa`	a serpent	to a serpent	2
`H5175-03`	כַּ/נָּחָ֣שׁ	kanachash	`HRd/Ncmsa`	like a serpent	like a serpent	2
`H5175-04`	כְּ/נָחָ֣שׁ	kenachash	`HR/Ncmsa`	like a serpent	like a serpent	1
`H5175-10`	וְ/נָחָ֖שׁ	venachash	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-serpent	and a serpent	1
`H5175-09`	וְ/הַ/נָּחָשׁ֙	vehanachash	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	the serpent	and the serpent	1
`H5175-02`	הַ/נְּחָשִׁ֣ים	hanechashim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the serpents	the serpents	1
`H5175-08`	נְחָשִׁים֙	nechashim	`HNcmpa`	serpents	serpents	1

Occurrences in Scripture

31 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H5175-09`	Genesis 3:1	וְ/הַ/נָּחָשׁ֙	vehanachash	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	the serpent	and the serpent
`H5175-01`	Genesis 3:2	הַ/נָּחָ֑שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent
`H5175-01`	Genesis 3:4	הַ/נָּחָ֖שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent
`H5175-01`	Genesis 3:13	הַ/נָּחָ֥שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent
`H5175-01`	Genesis 3:14	הַ/נָּחָשׁ֮	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent
`H5175-06`	Genesis 49:17	נָחָ֣שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	a serpent	serpent
`H5175-05`	Exodus 4:3	לְ/נָחָ֑שׁ	lenachash	`HR/Ncmsa`	a serpent	to a serpent
`H5175-05`	Exodus 7:15	לְ/נָחָ֖שׁ	lenachash	`HR/Ncmsa`	into a serpent	to a serpent
`H5175-02`	Numbers 21:6	הַ/נְּחָשִׁ֣ים	hanechashim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the serpents	the serpents
`H5175-01`	Numbers 21:7	הַ/נָּחָ֑שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	snake	the serpent
`H5175-07`	Numbers 21:9	נְחַ֣שׁ	nechash	`HNcmsc`	a serpent	serpent of
`H5175-01`	Numbers 21:9	הַ/נָּחָשׁ֙	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent
`H5175-07`	Numbers 21:9	נְחַ֥שׁ	nechash-2	`HNcmsc`	the serpent	serpent of
`H5175-06`	Deuteronomy 8:15	נָחָ֤שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	serpent	serpent
`H5175-07`	2 Kings 18:4	נְחַ֨שׁ	nechash	`HNcmsc`	serpent	serpent of
`H5175-06`	Isaiah 14:29	נָחָשׁ֙	nachash	`HNcmsa`	of the serpent	serpent
`H5175-06`	Isaiah 27:1	נָחָ֣שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	serpent	serpent
`H5175-06`	Isaiah 27:1	נָחָ֖שׁ	nachash-2	`HNcmsa`	serpent	serpent
`H5175-10`	Isaiah 65:25	וְ/נָחָ֖שׁ	venachash	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-serpent	and a serpent
`H5175-08`	Jeremiah 8:17	נְחָשִׁים֙	nechashim	`HNcmpa`	serpents	serpents
`H5175-03`	Jeremiah 46:22	כַּ/נָּחָ֣שׁ	kanachash	`HRd/Ncmsa`	like a serpent	like a serpent
`H5175-01`	Amos 5:19	הַ/נָּחָֽשׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent
`H5175-01`	Amos 9:3	הַ/נָּחָ֖שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the-serpent	the serpent
`H5175-03`	Micah 7:17	כַּ/נָּחָ֔שׁ	kanachash	`HRd/Ncmsa`	like a serpent	like a serpent
`H5175-06`	Psalms 58:5	נָחָ֑שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	of-serpent	serpent
`H5175-06`	Psalms 140:4	נָ֫חָ֥שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	a serpent	serpent
`H5175-04`	Proverbs 23:32	כְּ/נָחָ֣שׁ	kenachash	`HR/Ncmsa`	like a serpent	like a serpent
`H5175-06`	Proverbs 30:19	נָחָ֗שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	of a serpent	serpent
`H5175-06`	Job 26:13	נָחָ֥שׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	the serpent	serpent
`H5175-06`	Ecclesiastes 10:8	נָחָֽשׁ	nachash	`HNcmsa`	a serpent	serpent
`H5175-01`	Ecclesiastes 10:11	הַ/נָּחָ֖שׁ	hanachash	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the serpent	the serpent

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