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In the forty-ninth chapter of Genesis we find the remarkable prediction uttered by Jacob in reference to Dan, that he "shall be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, which biteth the horse's heels." The original term here is shephiphon, and is understood by several authors to denote the cerastes, a very poisonous kind of viper, distinguished by having horns.
The fellow showed no signs of either pain or fear; and we kept him with us full four hours, without applying any sort of remedy, or his seeming inclined to do so." The Arabs name this serpent siff, siphon, or suphon, which seems not very far distant from the root of the Hebrew word siffifon or shephiphon.
Calmet enumerates eleven kinds of serpents as known to the Hebrews, the names of which are as follow: Ephe, the viper. 2. Chephir, a sort of aspic. 3. Acshub, the aspic. 4. Pethen, a similar reptile. 5. Tzeboa, speckled serpent. 6. Tzimmaon. 7. Tzepho, or Tzephoni, a basilisk. 8. Kippos, the acontias. 9. Shephiphon, the cerastes. 10. Shachal, the black serpent. 11. Saraph, a flying-serpent.
AMPHIBIA AND REPTILES Serpents known to the Hebrews; Ephe; Chephir; Acshub; Pethen; Tzeboa; Tzimmaon; Tzepho; Kippos; Shephiphon; Shachal; Saraph, the Flying Serpent; Cockatrice Eggs; The Scorpion; Sea-monsters, or Seals. FRUITS AND PLANTS Vegetable Productions of Palestine; The Fig-tree; Palm; Olive; Cedars of Libanus; Wild Grapes; Balsam of Aaron; Thorn of Christ.
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