Topical Encyclopedia
The term "coiled" is not directly mentioned in the Bible; however, the concept of coiling can be associated with imagery and symbolism found in the Scriptures, particularly in relation to serpents and their movements. In biblical literature, serpents often carry significant symbolic weight, representing both danger and wisdom.
Serpents in the BibleSerpents are frequently mentioned throughout the Bible, often depicted as creatures of cunning and deceit. The most notable reference is found in the Book of Genesis, where the serpent tempts Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Genesis 3:1 states, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made." Here, the serpent's coiled nature can be inferred as a metaphor for its deceptive and insidious character.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, serpents were often associated with chaos and evil, yet they also symbolized healing and protection in some cultures. This duality is reflected in the biblical narrative, where serpents can represent both sin and salvation.
Symbolism of CoilingThe act of coiling can symbolize entrapment or entanglement, reflecting the spiritual and moral challenges faced by believers. In
Proverbs 5:22 , it is written, "The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him." While the term "coiled" is not used, the imagery of being ensnared by sin is akin to the constricting nature of a coiled serpent.
Serpents and WisdomIn the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of serpents to convey wisdom and prudence. In
Matthew 10:16 , He instructs His disciples, "Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." Here, the serpent's coiled posture can be seen as a representation of readiness and strategic thinking, qualities that Jesus encourages His followers to embody.
The Bronze SerpentAnother significant biblical reference to serpents is the bronze serpent in the wilderness, as described in
Numbers 21:8-9 : "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze serpent, he lived." This event prefigures Christ's crucifixion, where looking upon the coiled serpent on the pole symbolizes faith and salvation.
ConclusionWhile the Bible does not explicitly use the term "coiled," the imagery associated with serpents provides a rich tapestry of meaning. From the cunning serpent in Eden to the bronze serpent in the wilderness, the concept of coiling serves as a powerful metaphor for both the entanglement of sin and the wisdom required to navigate the spiritual journey.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Coil.
Greek
4686. speira -- anything wound up orcoiled, by ext. a body (of...... 4685, 4686. speira. 4687 . anything wound up or
coiled, by ext.
... Word Origin
of Latin origin Definition anything wound up or
coiled, by ext.
...Strong's Hebrew
5919. akshub -- asp, viper... adder. Probably from an unused root meaning to coil; an asp (from lurking
coiled up) -- adder. 5918, 5919. akshub. 5920 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
The Heathens Made Gods Like Themselves, Whence Springs all...
... Diogenes accordingly remarked well to one who wondered at finding a serpentcoiled
round a pestle: "Don't wonder; for it would have been more surprising if you...
'Physicians of no Value'
... We abstain from lifting the curtain behind which the serpent liescoiled in our
hearts, because we dread to see its loathly length, and to rouse it to lift its...
'Is it I?'
... Their Master knew better than they did; and so, from a humble knowledge of what
lay in them,coiled and slumbering, but there, they would not meet His words...
The Cruelty of the Sacrifices to the Gods.
... ". . . . As when some traveller spies,.Coiled in his path upon the mountain
side,. A deadly snake, back he recoils in haste,"....
Christ's Prayer Answered.
... There are serpentscoiled in balls, and vipers spitting poison, and centipedes,
and fat blinking toads, and vampires, and lizards, and tarantulas, that we...
Missed Ends
... I looked, but saw no bottom; only cloud shapes, black and furiouslycoiled,
and great shadow-shrouded hollows, and unfathomable depths....
Absurd Representations of the Gods.
... But, on the one hand, they have described their bodily forms: speaking of Hercules,
for instance, as a god in the shape of a dragoncoiled up; of others as...
The Question of the Tall Gentleman as to Whether Diamond could...
... "Come and sing your song on my finger instead,. All so jolly and funny.". The snake
coiled up; and the bird flew down,. And sang him the song of Birdie Brown....
Night
... she wore a wimple of the same material. Her hair had beencoiled and secured
with a bodkin. When she put her hand under the wimple...
Love and Fear
... often denied. But there it is; the snake hibernates, but it iscoiled
in the heart all the same; and warmth will awake it. Then...
Thesaurus
Coiled (2 Occurrences)... (imp. & pp) of Coil. Multi-Version Concordance
Coiled (2 Occurrences). 2 Samuel
22:6 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me. (See NIV)
...Wind (180 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate. 5. (vt) To cover or surround
with somethingcoiled about; as, to wind a rope with twine....
Leviathan (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A transliterated Hebrew word (livyathan), meaning
"twisted," "coiled." In Job 3:8, Revised Version, and marg....
Ran (100 Occurrences)
... 1. (v.) imp. of Run. 2. (n.) Open robbery. 3. (n.) Yarnscoiled on a spun-yarn winch.
4. (imp.) of Run. Multi-Version Concordance Ran (100 Occurrences)....
Mitre (10 Occurrences)
... 21:26, this Hebrew word is rendered "diadem," but in the Revised Version, "mitre."
It was a twisted band of fine linen, 8 yards in length,coiled into the form...
Barrel (3 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case; as, the barrel of a windlass;
the barrel of a watch, within which the spring iscoiled....
Cohorts (1 Occurrence)
Coiling (1 Occurrence)
Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... large animal. He adds that his horse was much frightened at seeing one of
these serpentscoiled up in a camel's footprint. The word...
High (4559 Occurrences)
... (4.) The "mitre," or upper turban, a twisted band of eight yards of fine linencoiled
into a cap, with a gold plate in front, engraved with "Holiness to the...
Resources
What was the leviathan? | GotQuestions.orgAre any mythological creatures mentioned in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a chakra? | GotQuestions.orgCoiled: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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