Insects and the bronze serpent
5 Even when the terrible fury of beasts overwhelmed your people and they were perishing from the stings of coiled serpents, your anger didn't last long.
6
They were terrified only for a little while as a warning, since they had the sign of their salvation as a reminder of the command of your Law.
7
Those who turned to that sign were saved not by what they saw but by you, the savior of all.
8
In this way, you persuaded our enemies that you are the only one who rescues people from every evil.
9
Our enemies died when they were bitten by locusts and flies. There was no healing that was able to keep them alive. They deserved to be punished by those insects.
10
Yet not even the fangs of poisonous snakes were able to overcome your children, because your mercy traveled along with them and healed them.
11
You did sting them in order to remind them of the things that you had told them. But you came to their rescue quickly so that they might not fall into a deep forgetfulness of your goodwill toward them.
12
It wasn't any herb or ointment that healed them but your word alone, Lord, which heals everything.
13
You have power over life and death. You lead people down to the gates of hell, and you bring them back up again.
14
Humans can indeed kill by their evil, but they can't bring back the life that has expired or restore the spirit that has been taken away.