Original Word: צֶפַע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsepha`
Pronunciation: tseh-fah'
Phonetic Spelling: (tseh'-fah; or tsiphKJV: adder, cockatrice
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to extrude]

1. a viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e. hissing)

adder, cockatrice

From an unused root meaning to extrude; a viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e. Hissing) -- adder, cockatrice.

צִפְעוֺנִי noun masculine id.; — absolute ׳צ Isaiah 11:8 ("" מָּ֑תֶן), ׳בֵּיצֵי צ Isaiah 59:5; כְּצִפְעֹנִי Proverbs 23:32 (simile; "" נָתָשׁ); plural צִפְעֹנִים Jeremiah 8:17 (app. נְחָשִׁים); identification dubious; Tristr^{NHB 275} ('possibly') daboia xanthina, a venomous viper, but vipers do not lay eggs Furrer^{Bi HWB 2, 1423}; Furrer proposes ailurophis vivex.

II. צפע (√ of following; compare Arabic cacavit, , Ethiopic excrement.).

Identification and Natural Profile

צֶפַע (tsephaʿ) designates a small but deadly venomous serpent, commonly rendered “viper” or “adder.” Native to the arid and semiarid zones of the Near East, such snakes are characterized by their swift strike, concealed fangs, and lethal poison. Ancient Israelites would have been well acquainted with the threat they posed while herding, harvesting, or traveling through rocky terrain. Their elusive nature and sudden attack supplied the perfect metaphor for hidden sin, treachery, and divine judgment.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Proverbs 23:32 – The viper illustrates the deceptive pleasures of wine, which “in the end…bites like a snake and stings like a viper.”
2. Isaiah 11:8 – In the messianic vision of restored creation, “the young child will put his hand into the viper’s nest,” highlighting future harmony between mankind and formerly hostile creatures.
3. Isaiah 14:29 – A political oracle against Philistia warns that “from the root of the snake will spring up a viper,” foretelling a subsequent ruler more dangerous than the one just overthrown.
4. Isaiah 59:5 – A national indictment depicts moral corruption: “They hatch vipers’ eggs…when one is broken, a viper is hatched.”
5. Jeremiah 8:17 – The Lord threatens an unrepentant Judah: “I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you.”

Symbolic Significance

Venomous serpents in Scripture consistently convey stealth, danger, and inevitable consequence. The tsephaʿ, with its hidden fangs and sudden strike, becomes a vivid image of:
• Deceptive temptation (Proverbs 23:32).
• Intensified judgment (Jeremiah 8:17).
• Generational evil that grows rather than dies out (Isaiah 14:29).
• Ethical and spiritual decay (Isaiah 59:5).

Conversely, its pacification in Isaiah 11:8 anticipates the comprehensive peace Messiah will secure, reversing the curse that began with the serpent in Genesis 3.

Historical and Cultural Context

Near Eastern texts outside the Bible also associate vipers with fate, curses, and sorcery, mirroring Israel’s fear of venomous threats in wilderness travel and settled agriculture. Snake charmers attempted to control such dangers (cf. Psalms 58:5), but the Lord’s pledge in Jeremiah 8:17 that these vipers “cannot be charmed” underscores the futility of human defenses once divine judgment is unleashed.

Theological Themes

1. Sin’s Hidden End: Alcohol’s initial allure (Proverbs 23) and national apostasy (Isaiah 59) both appear harmless until the lethal “bite” is felt.
2. Judgment and Mercy: The same creature that symbolizes wrath (Jeremiah 8) becomes emblematic of future safety under Messiah’s reign (Isaiah 11), revealing God’s dual commitment to justice and redemption.
3. Continuity of Evil: Isaiah 14:29 warns that unless root causes are addressed, evil reproduces itself; one tyrant gives way to another “viper.”
4. Eschatological Reversal: The subjugation of the viper anticipates Romans 16:20, where God “will soon crush Satan under your feet,” linking Isaiah’s picture to the ultimate defeat of the ancient serpent.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Spiritual Discernment: Leaders should heed Proverbs 23:32 when counseling on substance abuse—highlighting the concealed “fangs” behind temporary pleasure.
• Intercession for Renewal: Isaiah 59:5 calls congregations to repent of systemic sin that, if unaddressed, hatches ever-deadlier offspring.
• Eschatological Hope: Isaiah 11:8 provides comfort in pastoral care—current dangers are temporary; Christ’s kingdom will reconcile creation.
• Warning Against Complacency: Jeremiah 8:17 urges proclamation of judgment alongside grace; unrepentant hearts face inevitable consequences that no human strategy can avert.

Christological Insights

The tsephaʿ imagery reaches fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. On the cross He absorbed the fatal “bite” of sin and death (John 3:14-15 echoes the bronze serpent episode), ensuring that all who look to Him live. His resurrection guarantees the coming day when even the viper’s nest poses no threat (Isaiah 11), encapsulating the gospel’s promise that the dominion of the serpent is temporary and doomed.

Summary

צֶפַע serves Scripture as a multifaceted symbol—of deceptive pleasure, unchecked evil, divine retribution, and, ultimately, the messianic triumph over all enmity. Its five appearances trace a theological arc from the poison of sin to the peace of the new creation, calling God’s people to vigilance now and confident hope in the consummated reign of Christ.

וּֽכְצִפְעֹנִ֥י וכצפעני צִפְעֹנִ֔ים צִפְעוֹנִ֔י צִפְעוֹנִי֙ צֶ֔פַע צפע צפעוני צפענים ṣe·p̄a‘ ṣep̄a‘ ṣip̄‘ōnîm ṣip̄‘ōwnî ṣip̄·‘ō·nîm ṣip̄·‘ō·w·nî Tzefa tzifoNi tzifoNim ū·ḵə·ṣip̄·‘ō·nî uchetzifoNi ūḵəṣip̄‘ōnîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts