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The Bronze Snake

The Israelites left Mount Hor and went on the road toward the ·Red [or Reed] Sea, in order to go around the country of Edom. But the people became impatient on the way and ·grumbled at [L spoke against] God and Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this ·desert [wilderness]? There is no bread and no water, and we hate this terrible food!”

So the Lord sent them ·poisonous [L burning] snakes; they bit the people, and many of the ·Israelites [L people from Israel] died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we ·grumbled at [spoke against] you and the Lord. Pray that the Lord will take away these snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a bronze snake, and put it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, that person will live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Then when a snake bit anyone, that person looked at the bronze snake and lived [2 Kin. 18:4; John 3:14].

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