Bible Dictionary
ARROWSNAKE
Arrowsnake is a traditional translation of an uncertain Hebrew word in Isaiah 34:15. It may refer to a darting snake, though some interpreters think the passage describes a bird.
Definition
Arrowsnake is a traditional rendering of an uncertain Hebrew word in Isaiah. It may describe a darting or springing snake, though some interpreters think the passage refers to a bird because it mentions nesting, laying, and hatching.
Biblical Usage
The term occurs in Isaiah 34:15. The King James Version has “great owl,” while the English Revised and American Standard Revised Versions use “arrowsnake” or “dart-snake.”
Historical Background
The proposed snake name derives from the idea that the creature propels itself by a spring. The identification remains uncertain.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ar'-o-snak: In Isa 34:15 the Hebrew word kippoz, which in the King James Version is rendered "great owl," is in the English Revised Version rendered "arrowsnake," and in the American Standard Revised Version "dart-snake." Gesenius, who translates "arrowsnake," says "so called from the spring with which it propels itself." Others, from the mention of "make her nest, lay, and hatch," think some kind of bird is meant. See OWL; SERPENT.</p>