What Is the Bronze Serpent?
What Is the Bronze Serpent? The bronze serpent was the serpent of brass Moses lifted up on a pole to heal the Israelites from fiery serpent bites — a type of Christ's crucifixion.
Key verse: Numbers 21:8-9 (KJV)
The bronze serpent was the serpent of brass Moses lifted up on a pole to heal the Israelites from fiery serpent bites — a type of Christ's crucifixion.
The bronze serpent was the serpent of brass Moses lifted up on a pole to heal the Israelites from fiery serpent bites — a type of Christ's crucifixion.
"And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." — Numbers 21:8-9 (KJV)
Meaning
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The Biblical Answer
After Israel's rebellion and complaint in the wilderness, God sent fiery serpents among the people, and many were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and confessed, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.' Moses prayed, and God instructed him: 'Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.' Moses made a serpent of brass and set it on a pole. Everyone who looked at the bronze serpent lived. Centuries later, King Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent — which the people had begun to worship as Nehushtan — because it had become an idol. Jesus Himself applied the bronze serpent to His own death: 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.' The bronze serpent is one of the clearest Old Testament types of the cross: the remedy for sin is not doing something but looking in faith to the One who was lifted up in our place.
Key Scripture References
"And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
"He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
Who Was King Hezekiah?
Hezekiah was a righteous king of Judah who led religious reforms and trusted God against the Assyrian army.
What Does the Bible Say About Angels?
Angels are powerful spiritual beings created by God to serve Him, deliver messages, protect believers, and carry out His will.
Who Is Satan (the Devil)?
Satan is a fallen angel who rebelled against God and now leads the forces of evil, seeking to oppose God's purposes and destroy humanity.
Did Biblical Miracles Really Happen?
Yes — the Bible presents miracles as actual historical events performed by God to reveal His power, authenticate His messengers, and accomplish His purposes.
What Does the Bible Say About Demons?
Demons are fallen angels who rebelled with Satan against God, who seek to deceive, oppress, and destroy humanity but are subject to God's authority and Christ's power.
Deep Dive Commentary
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The Bronze Serpent
Bitten Israelites were healed by looking at a serpent of brass lifted up on a po
The Fiery Serpent
Numbers 21:4–9 • salvation
Bible Verses About Miracles
10 curated KJV verses
Read it in context
The answer above sits inside Numbers. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read Numbers on day 40 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
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