Strong's Hebrew: 6620. פָּ֫תֶן (pethen) -- Cobra, serpent, viper
Strong's Lexicon
pethen: Cobra, serpent, viper
Original Word: פֶתֶן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: pethen
Pronunciation: peh'-then
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-then)
Definition: Cobra, serpent, viper
Meaning: an asp
Word Origin: From an unused root meaning to twist
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Greek equivalent in Strong's Concordance, the Greek word "ἔχιδνα" (echidna, Strong's G2191) is often used in the New Testament to refer to a viper or serpent, carrying similar connotations of danger and deceit.
Usage: The Hebrew word "pethen" refers to a venomous snake, often translated as "cobra" or "viper" in English. It is used metaphorically in the Bible to describe danger, deceit, and the deadly nature of sin. The imagery of a serpent is frequently associated with cunning and treachery, reflecting the characteristics of these creatures in the natural world.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern culture, snakes were both feared and revered. They were often seen as symbols of danger and death due to their venomous bites. In the biblical context, serpents are frequently associated with evil and deception, most notably in the account of the Fall in Genesis. The "pethen" specifically is thought to refer to a type of snake known for its deadly bite, possibly the Egyptian cobra, which was common in the region.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
(a venomous serpent) perhaps cobra
NASB Translation
cobra (3), cobras (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
מֶּ֫תֶן noun masculinePsalm 68:5 a venomous serpent, perhaps cobra (פתן Ecclus 39:30; Aramaic מִּתְנָא, 
, whence perhaps Arabic 
; — only in poetry: plural מְּתָנִים ראֹשׁ Deuteronomy 32:33 ("" חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם), Job 20:16, ׳מְרוֺרַת פ Job 20:14; singular מֶּ֫תֶן Psalm 91:13 ("" תַּנִּין), חֵרֵשׁ ׳פ Psalm 58:5, חֻר מָּ֑תֶן Isaiah 11:8.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
adder
From an unused root meaning to twist; an asp (from its contortions) -- adder.
Forms and Transliterations
וָפֶ֣תֶן ופתן פְּתָנִ֖ים פְּתָנִ֣ים פְּתָנִ֥ים פֶ֥תֶן פָּ֑תֶן פתן פתנים Feten pā·ṯen Paten pāṯen pə·ṯā·nîm p̄e·ṯen petaNim pəṯānîm p̄eṯen vaFeten wā·p̄e·ṯen wāp̄eṯen
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Englishman's Concordance
Deuteronomy 32:33
HEB: יֵינָ֑ם וְרֹ֥אשׁ פְּתָנִ֖ים אַכְזָֽר׃
NAS: And the deadly poison of cobras.
KJV: and the cruel venom of asps.
INT: their wine poison of cobras and the deadly
Job 20:14
HEB: נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
NAS: To the venom of cobras within
KJV: [it is] the gall of asps within
INT: is changed to the venom of cobras within
Job 20:16
HEB: רֹאשׁ־ פְּתָנִ֥ים יִינָ֑ק תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ
NAS: the poison of cobras; The viper's
KJV: the poison of asps: the viper's
INT: the poison of cobras sucks slays
Psalm 58:4
HEB: נָחָ֑שׁ כְּמוֹ־ פֶ֥תֶן חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ יַאְטֵ֥ם
NAS: a deaf cobra that stops
KJV: [they are] like the deaf adder [that] stoppeth
INT: of a serpent Like cobra A deaf stops
Psalm 91:13
HEB: עַל־ שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס
NAS: upon the lion and cobra, The young lion
KJV: upon the lion and adder: the young lion
INT: upon the lion and cobra will tread will trample
Isaiah 11:8
HEB: עַל־ חֻ֣ר פָּ֑תֶן וְעַל֙ מְאוּרַ֣ת
NAS: by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned
KJV: on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child
INT: and cave of the cobra and den