Numbers 21:4-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea,[a] to go around the land of Edom, but the people became discouraged on the way.(A) 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.”(B) 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous[b] serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died.(C) 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.(D) 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous[c] serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it upon a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.(E)
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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
2 Kings 18:4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, and cut down the sacred pole.[a] He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it; it was called Nehushtan.(A)
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- 18.4 Or Asherah
2 Kings 18:4
New International Version
4 He removed(A) the high places,(B) smashed the sacred stones(C) and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake(D) Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.[a])
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 18:4 Nehushtan sounds like the Hebrew for both bronze and snake.
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