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.