The Bronze Serpent
Numbers 21:4-9
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Num.21.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויסעו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- מהר: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- ההר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- סוף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לסבב: VERB,qal,infc
- את: PRT,acc
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אדום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ותקצר: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- נפש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- בדרך: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Num.21.5 (structural): Immediate continuation of the episode—after they are 'discouraged because of the way' they complain, provoking God's judgment (fiery serpents).
- Num.20.14-21 (thematic): Narrative background for 'to compass the land of Edom'—Moses seeks passage through Edom and is refused, explaining why Israel must go around.
- Deut.1.27-28 (thematic): Moses' later retelling of Israel's complaints about the journey to Canaan; echoes the people's discouragement and lack of faith on the route.
- Num.14.1-4 (thematic): An earlier instance of mass despair on the march—people weep, murmur, and propose returning to Egypt because of the difficult way, paralleling the mood in 21:4.
- Exod.16.2-3 (thematic): Another wilderness episode where the Israelites grumble about hardship on the journey ('would to God we had died...'), reflecting the same pattern of discouragement en route.
Alternative generated candidates
- They journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Sea of Reeds to go around the land of Edom, and the people grew impatient on the way.
- They set out from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom; and the people's patience was exhausted on the way.
Num.21.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- באלהים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ובמשה: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- למה: ADV
- העליתנו: VERB,hiph,perf,2,m,sg
- ממצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- למות: VERB,qal,inf
- במדבר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אין: PART,neg
- לחם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואין: CONJ+PART,exist
- מים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ונפשנו: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- קצה: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- בלחם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הקלקל: ADJ,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exodus 16:2-3 (thematic): The Israelites complain to Moses about lack of bread and say they would have been better off in Egypt; directly parallels the charge of being brought out to die for want of food.
- Numbers 11:4-6 (verbal): The people crave variety and reject the 'light bread' (manna); language and complaint about the provision in the wilderness echo Num 21:5's reference to loathing the food.
- Numbers 14:2-4 (structural): After the spies' report the congregation weeps, proposes returning to Egypt and even plotting against Moses and Aaron—another instance of mass rebellion and desire to abandon deliverance into perceived safety.
- Psalm 106:7 (allusion): A retrospective summary of Israel’s wilderness grumbling: ‘They tempted God in their heart by asking for meat’—links the complaint in Num 21:5 to the recurring theme of testing/provoking God.
- Exodus 15:24 (structural): Shortly after the exodus the people 'murmured' against Moses over bitter water at Marah; an earlier episode that establishes the pattern of grumbling against leadership and God in the wilderness.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread and there is no water, and our souls loathe this worthless bread.”
- And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread and no water, and our soul is disgusted with this worthless bread.”
Num.21.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישלח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בעם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- הנחשים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- השרפים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- וינשכו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וימת: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- עם: PREP
- רב: ADJ,m,sg
- מישראל: NOUN,prop,m,sg
Parallels
- Numbers 21:8–9 (structural): Immediate continuation of the incident: God instructs Moses to make the bronze serpent and those who look at it are healed — directly resolves the snake bites of v.6.
- Deuteronomy 8:15 (verbal): Moses’ later retelling of the wilderness experience names ‘fiery serpents and scorpions’ that bit the people, echoing the language and imagery of Num 21:6.
- John 3:14–15 (quotation): Jesus explicitly cites the episode of the serpent lifted up in the wilderness as a typological precedent for his own being ‘lifted up,’ using the same narrative as theological analogy.
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 (allusion): Paul alludes to the Israelites being destroyed by serpents as a warning against tempting Christ, referencing the Num 21 episode to make a moral/typological point.
- Luke 10:19 (thematic): Jesus’ language about authority to ‘tread on serpents and scorpions’ echoes the motif of dominion over deadly serpents and invokes the wilderness/serpent imagery of Israel’s tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the LORD sent among the people fiery serpents, and they bit the people; and many from Israel died.
- So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and a great many of the people of Israel died.
Num.21.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,pl
- חטאנו: VERB,qal,perf,1,pl
- כי: CONJ
- דברנו: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,pl
- ביהוה: PREP+PN,sg
- ובך: CONJ+PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- התפלל: VERB,hithpael,impv,2,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ויסר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מעלינו: PREP+PRON,1,_,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- הנחש: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויתפלל: VERB,hitpael,imperfect,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בעד: PREP
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exodus 32:11-14 (thematic): Moses intercedes on behalf of Israel after they sinned (golden calf); like Num 21:7 Moses prays to turn away divine judgment.
- Deuteronomy 9:18-19 (thematic): Moses recounts his earnest prayer and fasting to avert God’s wrath over Israel’s rebellions—paralleling his intercession in Numbers 21.
- Numbers 21:8-9 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: God instructs Moses to make and lift up the bronze serpent, the remedy sought when the people pleaded and Moses prayed.
- Psalm 106:23 (allusion): The psalm recalls God’s threat to destroy Israel and how Moses stood in the breach to avert disaster—an echo of Moses’ intercession here.
- John 3:14 (allusion): Jesus explicitly alludes to the episode of Moses lifting up the serpent as a typological foreshadowing of the Son of Man being lifted up; directly ties back to the Num 21 account.
Alternative generated candidates
- The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD that he remove the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
- The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD that he take the serpents away from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
Num.21.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- שרף: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ושים: VERB,qal,imperat,2,m,sg
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- על: PREP
- נס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- כל: DET
- הנשוך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וראה: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- וחי: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
Parallels
- Numbers 21:9 (structural): Immediate continuation of the episode: Moses makes the bronze (fiery) serpent, sets it on the pole, and those bitten who look at it are healed/live.
- John 3:14-15 (quotation): Jesus explicitly cites the Moses/serpent episode — 'as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up' — using it as a typological basis for salvation.
- John 12:32 (thematic): Jesus says that when he is 'lifted up' he will draw all people to himself, echoing the motif of being lifted on a pole/wood to bring life or salvation.
- 2 Kings 18:4 (allusion): Hezekiah destroys the bronze serpent (Nehushtan) that the Israelites had been burning incense to, a later reference to the object made in Numbers 21 and its problematic cultic preservation.
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 (thematic): Paul refers to Israelites 'destroyed by serpents' as a warning; he alludes to the wilderness serpent episode to draw ethical/spiritual lessons for the church.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD said to Moses, “Make for yourself a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that anyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
- The LORD said to Moses, “Make for yourself a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall be that every one who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
Num.21.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- נחש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נחשת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וישמהו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- הנס: NOUN,m,sg,def
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- אם: CONJ
- נשך: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הנחש: NOUN,m,sg,def
- את: PRT,acc
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- והביט: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- נחש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הנחשת: NOUN,f,sg,def
- וחי: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
Parallels
- Numbers 21:8 (structural): Immediate context — God commands Moses to make the bronze (fiery) serpent and set it on a pole; v.9 reports the effect (life for those who look).
- 2 Kings 18:4 (allusion): Hezekiah destroys the bronze serpent (called Nehushtan) that Moses made, showing later Israelite cultic use and memory of the object named in Num 21:9.
- John 3:14-15 (quotation): Jesus explicitly compares himself to the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses, using the event as a typological foreshadowing of the Son of Man being 'lifted up' so that believers might have eternal life.
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 (allusion): Paul alludes to the serpent episode as an example of divine judgment in Israel’s wilderness history ('some of them were destroyed by serpents'), echoing the original biting incident that precedes the bronze serpent in Num 21.
- John 12:32 (thematic): The NT theme of the Messiah being 'lifted up' to draw people to himself (cf. John 3:14) echoes the motif of elevation in Num 21:9, where looking to what is lifted brings life.
Alternative generated candidates
- So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the pole; and whenever a serpent bit any man, if he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
- So Moses made a serpent of bronze and set it on a pole; and whenever a serpent bit a person, if he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
They journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Sea of Reeds to go around the land of Edom, and the people's patience was exhausted on the road.
The people complained against God and against Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread and there is no water, and our life is loathsome because of this worthless food.”
Then the LORD sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit the people; and many Israelites died.
The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we spoke against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that he remove the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, “Make for yourself a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole; and it shall be that every one who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it upon the pole; and if a serpent bit a person and that person looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.