The Bronze Serpent
4 From Mount Hor ch. 20:22;33:41they set out by the way to the Red Sea, Judg. 11:18to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people Ps. 78:19spoke against God and against Moses, Ex. 16:3;17:3"Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and [ch. 11:6]we loathe this worthless food." 6 Deut. 8:15;1 Cor. 10:9;[Isa. 14:29;30:6] Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and Jer. 8:17they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 Ps. 78:34;[ch. 11:2] And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. [Ex. 8:8,28;1 Sam. 12:19;1 Kgs. 13:6;Acts 8:24]Pray 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 John 3:14,15;[2 Kgs. 18:4]Moses made a bronze21:9 Or copper serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.