# Numbers 21 đź“–: The Bronze Serpent
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Victory at Hormah
[[#Verse 01.]]  When the Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.
[[#Verse 02.]] So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities.”Â
[[#Verse 03.]] The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called Hormah.
### Fiery Serpents
[[#Verse 04.]] Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became impatient along the way.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we detest this worthless food.”
[[#Verse 06.]] So the Lord sent venomous snakes among the people, and they bit the people; many people of Israel died.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
[[#Verse 08.]] The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”Â
[[#Verse 09.]]Â So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived.
### The Approach to Moab
[[#Verse 10.]]Â Â The Israelites traveled on and camped in Oboth.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] Then they traveled on from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that is before Moab on the eastern side.Â
[[#Verse 12.]]Â From there they moved on and camped in the valley of Zered.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the regions of the Amorites, for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] This is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord,
“Waheb in Suphah and the wadis, the ArnonÂ
[[#Verse 15.]]Â and the slope of the valleys that extends to the dwelling of Ar,
and falls off at the border of Moab.”
[[#Verse 16.]] And from there they traveled to Beer; that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.”Â
[[#Verse 17.]] Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, sing to it!
[[#Verse 18.]] The well which the princes dug,
which the leaders of the people opened
with their scepters and their staffs.”
And from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;Â
[[#Verse 19.]]Â and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;Â
[[#Verse 20.]]Â and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the country of Moab, near the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the wastelands.
### The Victory over Sihon and Og
[[#Verse 21.]]Â Â Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying,
[[#Verse 22.]] “Let us pass through your land; we will not turn aside into the fields or into the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well, but we will go along the King’s Highway until we pass your borders.”Â
[[#Verse 23.]] But Sihon did not permit Israel to pass through his border; he gathered all his forces together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.
[[#Verse 24.]] But the Israelites defeated him in battle and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended.Â
[[#Verse 25.]]Â So Israel took all these cities; and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.Â
[[#Verse 26.]] For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites. Now he had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land from his control, as far as the Arnon.
[[#Verse 27.]] That is why those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon, let it be built. Let the city of Sihon be established!
[[#Verse 28.]]Â For fire went out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon.
It has consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places of Arnon.
[[#Verse 29.]]Â Woe to you, Moab.
You are ruined, O people of Chemosh!
He has made his sons fugitives,
and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.
[[#Verse 30.]]Â We have overpowered them;
Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.
We have shattered them as far as Nophah,
which reaches to Medeba.”
[[#Verse 31.]] So the Israelites lived in the land of the Amorites.Â
[[#Verse 32.]] Moses sent spies to reconnoiter Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
[[#Verse 33.]] Then they turned and went up by the road to Bashan. And King Og of Bashan and all his forces marched out against them to do battle at Edrei.Â
[[#Verse 34.]] And the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand. You will do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”Â
[[#Verse 35.]] So they defeated Og, his sons, and all his people, until there were no survivors, and they possessed his land.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
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## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Hormah means "destruction" (21:3).
2. The Hebrew words for "serpent" (*nachash*) and "bronze" (*nechoshet*) sound alike.
3. The serpents are called "fiery" (21:6), possibly from their burning bite.
4. King Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent, called Nehushtan, because people burned incense to it (2 Kings 18:4).
5. Numbers 21:14 quotes the "Book of the Wars of the Lord," a lost ancient writing.
6. The Song of the Well (21:17-18) celebrates God's gift of water.
7. The Arnon River formed the border between Moab and the Amorites (21:13).
8. Israel defeated Sihon king of the Amorites and took Heshbon (21:23-26).
9. Og king of Bashan was remembered for his great size; his bed was nine cubits long (Deuteronomy 3:11).
10. The victories over Sihon and Og are celebrated in Psalm 136:17-22.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One lifted up to save. The bronze serpent was raised on a pole so that everyone who looked lived (21:8-9), and Jesus said, "so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life" (John 3:14-15).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. The people again complained about the manna, calling it worthless food (21:5). How can familiarity make us ungrateful for God's provision?
2. God did not remove the snakes but gave a way to be healed by looking (21:8). What does this teach about faith?
3. Later Israel turned the bronze serpent into an idol (2 Kings 18:4). How can good things become idols?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 7: The people confess their sin and ask Moses to pray.
- đź“– verses 8-9: Anyone bitten who looked at the bronze serpent lived.
- đź“– verse 34: Do not fear Og, for I have handed him over to you.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[John 03#Verse 14.|John 3:14-15]] - The Son of Man must be lifted up.
- đź”— [[2 Kings 18#Verse 04.|2 Kings 18:4]] - Hezekiah destroys the bronze serpent.
- đź”— [[1 Corinthians 10#Verse 09.|1 Corinthians 10:9]] - Do not test the Lord as some did and were killed by snakes.
- đź”— [[Psalm 136#Verse 17.|Psalm 136:17-22]] - God struck down Sihon and Og.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 45#Verse 22.|Isaiah 45:22]] - Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź“‚ Internal Notes