Rockey's Thoughts

Area Indoctrination Briefing

Part 24 of 34

Rockey Jackson, September 27, 2003

ADDENDUM 9 - Basilisk

The Basilisk or cockatrice, as it’s translated in the King James Version of the Bible, is a poisonous lizard or serpent. In mythology, a serpent hatched the cockatrice from a cock’s egg and it had the power to kill with its breath or even its glance. This denotes poisoned speech, gossip, and the supercilious look with an arched eyebrow that is meant to harm another. An erect crest on its head and back distinguishes the Basilisk, and this has given it a connection with the crown of a king or queen. Thus the Basilisk has become associated with several reptiles that have crests or hoods that make their heads appear to be bigger than they are. This includes the cobra (or king snake), which is used in some translations.

Cockatrice is translated from the Hebrew word tsepha or tsiphoniy (Strongs 6848) that means a viper, adder, or cockatrice. It is from a root meaning to extrude like the thrusting out of a tongue when hissing.

Basilisk is transliterated from the Greek word basilikos and means kingly, royal, or regal. However, basilisk does not appear in the New Testament in reference to any animal or this metaphor of Satan.

Adder is translated from several Hebrew words. Shephiyphon (Stongs 8207) is the cerastes or horned adder. Pethen (Strongs 6620) is an asp or adder. Tsepha (Strongs 6848), which we just saw above, means a viper, adder, or cockatrice. Finally the akshuwb (Strongs 5919) is an asp or adder.

Asp is translated from the Hebrew word pethen (Strongs 6620), which we just saw is an asp or adder. It is also transliterated from the Greek word aspis (Strongs 785) meaning a serpent and particularly an asp.

Viper is translated from the Hebrew word ’epheh (Strongs 660) and means asp or other venomous serpents like the viper. It is also translated from the Greek word echidna (Strongs 2191), which means an adder or other poisonous snakes like the viper.

There are references to these various poisonous reptiles throughout the scriptures. Their important common characteristic is the poison in their mouth. So here then are the scriptures that refer to the Basilisk: adders, asps, vipers, and the cockatrice.

Scripture References:

Basilisk (cockatrice, adder, asp, and viper)

Dan Shall Be an Adder in the Path

Genesis 49:17

17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. (serpent, adder) [Equivalence: serpent = adder.]

Their Wine Is the Cruel Venom of Asps

Deuteronomy 32:32-33

32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:

33 Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. (asp, dragon) [Equivalence: dragon = asp.]

The Wicked Shall Not Enjoy Their Gain

Job 20:12-18

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue; [Root Sin: gossip]

13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: [Root Sin: gossip, These two verses sound like an allusion to gossip.]

14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. (asp)

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him. (asp, viper)

17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

The Wicked Go Astray

Psalms 58:3-5

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. [Other Sins: lying.]

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; (serpent, adder) [Equivalence: serpent = adder]

5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

The Lord Shall Tread Upon the Lion and Adder

Psalms 91:11-13

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. (lion, adder, dragon) [Equivalence: adder = lion = dragon]

Adder’s Poison Is Under Their Lips

Psalms 140:1-3

1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;

2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. (serpent, adder) [Root Sin: gossip. Equivalence: serpent = adder.]

Wine Stingeth Like an Adder

Proverbs 23:31-32

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. (serpent, adder) [Equivalence: serpent = adder.]

The Earth Shall Be Full of the Knowledge of the Lord

Isaiah 11:1-9

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. (lion)

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. (lion)

8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. (asp, cockatrice)

9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Out of the Serpent’s Root Shall Come Forth a Cockatrice

Isaiah 14:29

29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. (serpent, cockatrice, fiery flying serpent) [Equivalence: serpent = cockatrice = dragon.]

A People Who Don’t Profit

Isaiah 30:5-6

5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. (viper, lion, fiery flying serpent) [Equivalence: viper = lion = dragon.]

They Hatch Cockatrice’ Eggs

Isaiah 59:1-8

1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. [Other Sins: lying.]

4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. [Other Sins: lying.]

5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. (cockatrice, viper)

6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. [Weapons: iniquity, violence.]

7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. [Other Sins: murder, Weapons: evil, iniquity, wasting, destruction.]

8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

Cockatrices That Will Not Be Charmed

Jeremiah 8:17

17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD. (serpents, cockatrices) [Equivalence: serpent = cockatrice.]

John Rebukes the Pharisees

Matthew 12:7-10

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (vipers)

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost

Matthew 12:31-37

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. [Other Sins: blasphemy.]

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (viper)

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

Matthew 23:29-35

29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. [Other Sins: murder.]

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (serpent, viper) [Equivalence: serpent = viper.]

34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: [Other Sins: murder. Weapon: persecution.]

35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. [Other Sins: murder.]

John Rebukes the Generation of Vipers

Luke 3:7-9

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (vipers)

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Paul Is Bitten by a Viper

Acts 28:2-6

2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. (viper)

4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

None Righteous, No, Not One

Romans 3:10-18

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (asp) [Root Sin: gossip. Weapon: deception.]

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [Root Sin: gossip]

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: [Other Sins: murder.]

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: [Weapons: destruction, misery.]

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.