The Nahash in the Garden of Eden – An Ordinary Snake?

Abstract

The creature entering into a conversation with the woman in the Garden of Eden is referred to as “Nahash”, eng. “snake” or „serpent“. A comparison with the usual depiction of snakes in the Old Testament leads to the conclusion that this creature initially does not have any characteristics that are typical for snakes, but does have a number of characteristics that are atypical for snakes.