A genus of serpents noted for the virulence of their poison, which is said to be one of the most dangerous in the animal kingdom. Hence the viper is a symbol of whatever is most evil and destructive, Job 20:16 Isaiah 30:6 . As such the term was applied by Christ and by John to certain classes of the Jews, Matthew 3:7 12:34 23:33 Luke 3:7 . Paul's escape from the bite of a viper in Malta led the people to believe that he was a god in human form, Acts 28:3 . A species of viper in Northern Africa, though little more than a foot long is called the most formidable serpent there; and Hasselquist speaks of a viper in Cyprus, whose bits produces a universal gangrene, and occasions death within a few hours. See SERPENTS .