פֶּ֫תֶן (pe.ten)
pe.ten
cobra
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun peten refers to a venomous serpent, likely the cobra, adder, or viper. It appears in five verses across Job, Psalms, and Isaiah, always carrying the weight of deadly danger. The word describes a creature whose bite is not merely painful but fatal, making it a potent symbol of hidden threat.
Its most striking usage occurs in Psalm 58:4-5, where the wicked are compared to a deaf peten that refuses to listen to charms or wisdom. This image highlights the stubbornness of those who reject moral instruction; like a snake that cannot be charmed away, their hearts remain hardened against correction. The text suggests that some dangers cannot be soothed by words alone.
Translators typically render peten as "adder" or "viper," though the specific species may vary by region. The consistent thread is its lethality and resistance to human control. In Isaiah 59:5, eggs of such snakes hatch into poisonous vipers, illustrating how evil produces its own destructive offspring. The word serves as a vivid reminder of the real consequences of turning away from wisdom.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peten describes a cobra, a creature known for its silent strike and lethal venom. In Scripture, it stands as a stark symbol of hidden danger and the hardened heart that refuses correction. When Psalm 58 compares the wicked to a deaf viper, it paints a picture of spiritual blindness where wisdom cannot reach. This imagery reminds us that some threats are not just external but internal, rooted in a refusal to listen.
Yet this same word appears in Isaiah 11:8, describing a future peace so profound that children can play safely near cobra dens. This contrast offers deep hope. It suggests that the power of God’s kingdom will eventually neutralize even the most deadly threats. For your faith, this means you are not left to face hidden dangers alone. God’s presence brings safety where there was once only peril.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- cobras3×
- and/ a cobra1×
- a cobra1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פָּ֑תֶן1×
- פְּתָנִ֥ים1×
- פְּתָנִ֣ים1×
- פְּתָנִ֖ים1×
- וָ/פֶ֣תֶן1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 91:13
You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.
This verse places the cobra under the believer's feet, symbolizing total victory over hidden spiritual dangers through divine protection.
-
Isaiah 11:8
The nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
Here the cobra represents a threat that will be completely removed in the messianic age, highlighting the peace and safety of God's restored creation.
-
Job 20:14
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
This occurrence uses the cobra’s venom as a metaphor for the internal, self-destructive consequences that await the wicked.