There are only four chapters in the Bible where Satan is not implicitly present in the world, the first two and the last two. The Bible begins and ends with him out of existence. But between Genesis 3 and Revelation 20 he is a factor to be reckoned with. The Hebrew word for “serpent” may be connected either with an adjective/noun meaning “bronze” (suggesting something that is shiny), or with a verb meaning “to practice divination.” Two things are said about the serpent (3:1–7). First, a word about his character—he is crafty, subtle. These terms translate a neutral word that in the Old Testament may describe either a commendable (“a prudent man” in Prov. 12:16, 23) or a reprehensible (the “crafty” in Job 5:12 and 15:5) trait. Second, there is a word about the serpent’s origin—he was made b…