WG: Dragon / Serpent / Adversary¶
Overview¶
The dragon imagery in Revelation draws on a cluster of terms — Greek and Hebrew — that together map the adversary figure across both Testaments. The central text (Rev 12:9) explicitly equates four of these terms in a single verse: δράκων (dragon), ὄφις (serpent), διάβολος (devil), and Σατανᾶς (Satan). The Hebrew background is תַּנִּין (tannîyn), the great sea serpent of the OT.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1404 | δράκων | drákōn | noun | 12 | The apocalyptic adversary figure; exclusively Revelation | G1404-drakon.md |
| G3789 | ὄφις | óphis | noun | 14 | Serpent; connects dragon to Eden and broader narrative | G3789-ophis.md |
| G1228 | διάβολος | diábolos | noun/adj | 36 | Devil; the accuser/slanderer; identified with the dragon | G1228-diabolos.md |
| G2342 | θηρίον | thēríon | noun | 38 | Beast; receives authority from the dragon in Revelation | G2342-therion.md |
| H8577 | תַּנִּין | tannîyn | noun | 26 | OT great serpent/sea monster; primary Hebrew precursor to δράκων | TODO(need H8577 study) |
Relationships¶
Explicit Identifications in Scripture¶
Rev 12:9 and 20:2 provide the defining equation:
"the great dragon (G1404)... that old serpent (G3789), called the Devil (G1228), and Satan"
This is the only NT passage where four adversary terms appear together, making it the interpretive key for the whole cluster.
Co-occurrence (shared distinct verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared | % of A | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1404 δράκων | G2342 θηρίον | 4 | 33% | Dragon empowers the beast (Rev 13:2, 4; 16:13) |
| G1404 δράκων | G1228 διάβολος | 2 | 17% | Explicit identification (Rev 12:9; 20:2) |
| G1404 δράκων | G3789 ὄφις | 2 | 17% | Explicit identification (Rev 12:9; 20:2) |
| G1228 διάβολος | G3789 ὄφις | 2 | 6% | Both named at Rev 12:9 and 20:2 |
| G2342 θηρίον | G1228 διάβολος | 1 | 3% | Both judged together (Rev 20:10) |
Key Passages with Multiple Members¶
- Rev 12:9 — G1404 + G1228 + G3789: "the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan"
- Rev 20:2 — G1404 + G1228 + G3789: "he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan"
- Rev 13:2 — G1404 + G2342: "the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority"
- Rev 13:4 — G1404 + G2342: "they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast"
Hebrew Background (H8577 tannîyn)¶
The LXX regularly renders H8577 (tannîyn, the great serpent/sea monster) as δράκων. This is the strongest OT–NT lexical link: - PMI score: 22.35 (co-occ: 13) - H8577 is used of Egypt as serpent power (Ezek 29:3), of primordial sea creatures (Ps 74:13), and in general for great serpents (Deut 32:33)
LXX Bridge Note¶
H8577 tannîyn → δράκων is the dominant LXX rendering, establishing the continuity from OT serpent/monster imagery into Revelation's dragon symbolism.
Roles in the Concept¶
- δράκων (G1404) — the master figure; the dragon who acts, persecutes, delegates, deceives; exclusively in Revelation
- ὄφις (G3789) — the historical serpent from Genesis onward; connects the Revelation dragon back to Eden
- διάβολος (G1228) — the functional title of the adversary (accuser/slanderer); used across the whole NT
- θηρίον (G2342) — the agent empowered by the dragon; the beast who acts in the earthly sphere (see WG-beast.md)
- תַּנִּין (H8577) — the OT lexical root; the great serpent figure of creation narratives and prophetic oracles
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py Last updated: 2026-04-02