Numbers 21:4-9

The Bronze Serpent

4 From Mount Hor 1they set out by the way to the Red Sea, 2to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way.
5 And the people 3spoke against God and against Moses, 4"Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and 5we loathe this worthless food."
6 6Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and 7they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.
7 8And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. 9Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."
9 So 10Moses made a bronze[a] serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Numbers 21:4-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 21

This chapter gives an account of the defeat of King Arad, the Canaanite, Nu 21:1-3 of the murmurings of the children of Israel, because of difficulties in travelling round, the land of Edom, for which they were punished with fiery serpents, Nu 21:4-6 and how that upon their repentance a brazen serpent was ordered to be made, and to be erected on a pole, that whoever looked to it might live, Nu 21:7-9 and of the several journeys and stations of the children of Israel, until they came to the land of the Amorites, Nu 21:10-20, when they sent a message to Sihon their king, to desire him to grant them a passage through his country; but he refusing, they fought with him, smote him, and possessed his land, concerning which many proverbial sayings were used, Nu 21:21-32 and the chapter is concluded with the defeat of Og, king of Bashan, Nu 21:33-35.

Cross References 10

  • 1. Numbers 20:22; Numbers 33:41
  • 2. Judges 11:18
  • 3. Psalms 78:19
  • 4. Exodus 16:3; Exodus 17:3
  • 5. [Numbers 11:6]
  • 6. Deuteronomy 8:15; 1 Corinthians 10:9; [Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 30:6]
  • 7. Jeremiah 8:17
  • 8. Psalms 78:34; [Numbers 11:2]
  • 9. [Exodus 8:8, 28; 1 Samuel 12:19; 1 Kings 13:6; Acts 8:24]
  • 10. John 3:14, 15; [2 Kings 18:4]

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.