Numbers 21:4-9
New International Version
The Bronze Snake
4 They traveled from Mount Hor(A) along the route to the Red Sea,[a](B) to go around Edom.(C) But the people grew impatient on the way;(D) 5 they spoke against God(E) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt(F) to die in the wilderness?(G) There is no bread! There is no water!(H) And we detest this miserable food!”(I)
6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes(J) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.(K) 7 The people came to Moses(L) and said, “We sinned(M) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord(N) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed(O) for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;(P) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake(Q) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.(R)
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:4 Or the Sea of Reeds
Numbers 21:4-9
New American Standard Bible
4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the [a]Red Sea, to (A)go around the land of Edom; and the [b]people became impatient because of the journey. 5 So the people spoke against God and Moses: “(B)Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no [c]food and no water, and [d](C)we are disgusted with [e]this miserable food.”
The Bronze Serpent
6 (D)Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and (E)they bit the people, so that (F)many people of Israel died. 7 (G)So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you; (H)intercede with the Lord, that He will remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “[f]Make a (I)fiery serpent, and put it on a flag pole; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, and looks at it, will live.” 9 So Moses made a (J)bronze serpent and put it on the flag pole; and it came about, that if a serpent bit someone, and he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 21:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Numbers 21:4 Lit soul of the people was short
- Numbers 21:5 Lit bread
- Numbers 21:5 Lit our soul is disgusted
- Numbers 21:5 I.e., the manna
- Numbers 21:8 Lit Make for yourself
Numbers 21:4-9
English Standard Version
The Bronze Serpent
4 From Mount Hor (A)they set out by the way to the Red Sea, (B)to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people (C)spoke against God and against Moses, (D)“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and (E)we loathe this worthless food.” 6 (F)Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and (G)they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 (H)And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. (I)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 (J)Moses 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 21:9 Or copper
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.