VIPER (אֶפְעֶה, H704, poisonous snake; viper all Eng. VSS; עַכְשׁוּב, H6582, a poisonous snake, viper RSV, adder KJV, ASV; ἔχιδνα, G2399, viper KJV, RSV). The four OT references (Job 20:16; Ps 140:3; Isa 30:6; 59:5) are all in fig. or prophetic passages which are no help in precise identification. Hebrew ’epeh is identical with Arab. afa’a, which can mean either snakes generally or vipers (several species not distinguished) more specifically. The context always implies that the snake is venomous, and in Job 20:16 the writer again records the old legend about a snake’s tongue being poisonous—“the tongue of a viper will kill him.” Isaiah 59:5 is purely fig. but the phrase “from one which is crushed a viper is hatched” may confirm that this is a viper. In most members of this family, the eggs are retained in the body of the female until they hatch and are ready to emerge. If a gravid snake is crushed these may appear. Such an accident gives rise to the old story that a viper swallows her young to protect them in time of danger. The other Heb. word ’Akshūb (Ps 140:3 only) cannot be identified, but it could be one of the vipers.

Of the five NT occurrences, four are in the expression “a generation of vipers” KJV; “brood of vipers” RSV, used by John the Baptist (Matt 3:7; Luke 3:7) and by the Lord in different contexts (Matt 12:34; 23:33). Reference is clearly to dangerous snakes, while the words “generation” and “brood” suggest the batch of young vipers which emerge from the mother, anything from a dozen or so in smaller species to fifty or more in the giant vipers. The remaining reference is the only literal one (Acts 28:3), where Paul is bitten by a snake. This is traditionally identified as the common viper of the Mediterranean, but today there are no venomous snakes on Malta. It is possible that the viper has become extinct since Paul visited the island, but it is also possible that the species concerned was harmless. In undeveloped countries even today all snakes are regarded as poisonous and a “bite” by even a non-poisonous species can result in severe shock. Viper is almost synonymous with adder (q.v.). See also [http://biblegateway/wiki/Serpent (Fiery Serpent) SERPENT].