The Copper Snake

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The Miraculous Copper Serpent

TANAKH

The divine command to create a copper serpent and the miraculous healing it provided underscores the power of faith and repentance. In the Book of Numbers, God instructs Moses to make a copper serpent to heal those bitten by serpents.

Then יהוה said to Moses, “Make a seraph figure and mount it on a standard. And anyone who was bitten who then looks at it shall recover.” Moses made a copper serpent and mounted it on a standard; and when bitten by a serpent, anyone who looked at the copper serpent would recover.

Numbers 21:8-9

The Destruction of Nehushtan

TANAKH

The bronze serpent, originally made by Moses, became an object of idolatry among the Israelites. In the biblical book of Kings II, King Hezekiah destroys the bronze serpent, Nehushtan, to eliminate idolatry from Israel.

He abolished the shrines and smashed the pillars and cut down the sacred post. He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until that time the Israelites had been offering sacrifices to it; it was called Nehushtan.

II Kings 18:4

Hezekiah and the Bronze Snake

TALMUD

King Hezekiah's decision to destroy the bronze snake, a relic from Moses' time, was met with both approval and disapproval, reflecting the complexities of leadership and religious reform. The Jerusalem Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, records rabbinic opinions on Hezekiah's actions, providing insight into the challenges of maintaining religious purity and centralizing worship in ancient Israel.

Six things did Hezekiah do; with three they agreed, with three they did not agree. He dragged his father’s bones on a bier of ropes, he smashed the bronze snake, and he hid the table of medicines; they agreed. He closed the upper Giḥon spring, and he cut down the Temple doors, and he intercalated Nisan in Nisan; they disagreed.

Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 1:2:28

Diminishing the Bronze Serpent

COMMENTARY

King Hezekiah's derisive attitude towards the bronze serpent underscores his commitment to monotheism and the rejection of idolatry. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible provides a clear and engaging explanation of Hezekiah's religious reforms.

He removed the shrines, and shattered the monuments, including those established for worshipping God. This drastic action was not appreciated by all sections of the population. And he hewed down the sacred trees that still stood in Jerusalem. And he crushed the bronze serpent that Moses had made to miraculously heal those bitten by serpents, for until those days the children of Israel had burned incense to it, turning it into a deity due to the ancient glory associated with it and the miracles that had been performed through it…

Steinsaltz on II Kings 18:4

Why It Wasn't Idolatry

TALMUD

The copper serpent made by Moses was not considered an idol despite being worshipped because it was made from Moses' own property. The Talmudic tractate Avodah Zara discusses the laws and regulations concerning idolatry, including the unique case of the copper serpent.

The Rabbis said to him: You seek to bring proof from there? Doesn’t it state in the verse: “And the Lord said to Moses: Make you a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he sees it, shall live” (Numbers 21:8)? The term “make you” is interpreted to mean that the Lord commanded Moses: Make the serpent from your property. Consequently, the serpent belonged to Moses, and the principle in such a case is that a person does not render forbidden an item that is not his…

Avodah Zarah 44a:7

Hezekiah's Bold Reforms

COMMENTARY

King Hezekiah's destruction of the bronze serpent was unanimously praised by Jewish tradition for eliminating idolatry. This contemporary study explores the religious reforms of King Hezekiah, particularly his destruction of the bronze serpent, which had become an idol.

Chizkiyahu is never criticized within the Tanach for destroying the Nachash HaNechoshet. The Mishnah (Pesachim 4:9) records that the Chachamim of the time extended their hearty approval of Chizkiyahu’s bold action. Chazal (Chullin 7a) express their strong approval as well. Sefer Melachim explains that over time, the Nachash HaNechoshet degenerated into a shrine for Avodah Zarah. Thus, Chizkiyahu deems it necessary to grind up this priceless relic in his campaign to rid the Southern Kingdom of Avodah Zarah.

From David to Destruction, Malchei Yehudah; Achaz, Chizkiyahu, and Menashe, Archaeological Artifacts from Chizkiyahu's Reign 10

Miracle Within a Miracle

COMMENTARY

The miraculous cure involving the copper snake was counterintuitive, demonstrating divine intervention and teaching that it was not the snake that caused death but the sin. Rabbeinu Bahya, a 14th-century Torah commentator, explores the episode in the Book of Numbers where Moses creates a copper snake to heal the Israelites.

והביט אל נחש הנחשת וחי, “if he looked up to the copper snake he would live.” The cure was the opposite of the natural process. If the person who had been bitten would look at the snake which bit him he would endanger himself. [The author explains the cure in the same way as the working of inoculation, i.e. injection of the ingredient causing the disease, except that when we use inoculation this is done before the disease has struck. Ed.]. King Chizkiyah (Kings II 20,7) was cured by applying dried figs to the area infected by boils (a procedure which normally intensifies the skin…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bamidbar 21:9:1

Hezekiah's Reforms and Their Reception

TALMUD

King Hezekiah's reforms, including the destruction of a significant religious artifact, sparked mixed reactions among the people and sages. The Jerusalem Talmud, an ancient corpus of law, ethics, and stories from the land of Israel, records the actions and religious reforms of King Hezekiah and the varied responses they elicited.

Six things did Ezekiah, the king of Judea, do. With three they agreed, with three they did not agree. He dragged his father’s bones and they agreed. He smashed the bronze snake and they agreed. He hid the table of medicines and they agreed. With three they disagreed. He closed the upper Giḥon spring and they disagreed. He cut down the Temple doors and they disagreed. He intercalated Nisan in Nisan and they disagreed.

Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 6:8:8

The Power of Faith in the Copper Snake

TALMUD

The healing power of the copper snake was not in the snake itself but in the Israelites' faith and submission to God. The Jerusalem Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism and a compilation of teachings and discussions of Jewish law, uses the story of the bronze serpent from Numbers to illustrate the importance of looking towards God for healing and salvation.

Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah 3:9:1

The Healing Power of the Copper Snake

MIDRASH

The copper snake provided healing not only for those bitten by serpents but for anyone bitten by any creature, including adders, scorpions, wild beasts, or dogs. The Midrash Tanchuma, an early medieval collection of midrash, elaborates on the biblical account in Numbers 21:8, where Moses is instructed to make a bronze serpent to heal those bitten by snakes.

(Numb. 21:8): AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: MAKE A SERAPH, <AND PUT IT ON A POLE>. THEN IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT, WHEN ANYONE BITTEN <LOOKS AT IT, HE SHALL LIVE>, not only one bitten by a serpent, but ANYONE BITTEN, even one bitten by an adder, by a scorpion, a wild beast, or a dog.

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Chukat 46:2

The Symbolism of the Copper Snake

COMMENTARY

Moses' choice of copper for the snake in the wilderness is deeply symbolic and rooted in the Hebrew language. The Siftei Chakhamim, a supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary, explains the linguistic and symbolic reasons behind Moses' use of copper for the snake.

Snake. Ramban writes: I do not understand this, for surely Hashem only said “Make yourself a שרף ["snake"].” Rather they mean that Moshe followed the essential name. His answer appears to be that since the essential name that Hashem gave to the snake was נחש [nachash]. Why then was it called שרף here? Consequently, Moshe said [to himself] “Hashem is surely hinting to me by referring to it with a descriptive name and not the essential name,” in order to make the snake from copper [nachash nechoshes], so that it [also] alludes to the essential name.

Siftei Chakhamim, Numbers 21:9:1

Unveiling Moses' Enigmatic Serpent

SECOND TEMPLE

The serpent Moses made is not just a historical artifact but a symbol of judgment and intelligence. Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, offers an allegorical interpretation of the serpent from the Torah, blending Jewish theology with Greek philosophy.

[95] What he intimates by the prayer, we must point out. “Dan” means “judgement” or “sifting.” The faculty, then, which tests and investigates and determines and, in a manner, judges all the soul’s concerns, he likened to a serpent. This is a creature tortuous in its movements, of great intelligence, ready to shew fight, and most capable of defending itself against wrongful aggression. He did not liken the faculty to the serpent that played the friend and gave advice to “Life”—whom in our own language we call “Eve”—but to the serpent made by Moses out of material brass…

On Husbandry 21:2

The Journey and the Incident

COMMENTARY

The Israelites' journey around Edom and their discontent led to a significant incident. Jacob ben Asher, in his Torah commentary Tur HaArokh, explains why certain stops during the Israelites' journey were not mentioned in Parshat Chukat.

ויסעו מהר ההר ויחנו בצלמות ויסעו מצלמות ויחנו בפונן ויסעו מפונן ויחנו באובות., “They journeyed from Hor Hahar and encamped at Tzalmavet. They journeyed from Tzalmavet and encamped at Punan. They journeyed from Punan and encamped at Ovot. In Parshat Chukat (Numbers 21,10) we did not hear about these places at all, but were only told that when journeying from Ovot that the people became very frustrated at the long detour they had to take. It is not even stated there from which place they set out before arriving at Ovot…

Tur HaArokh, Numbers 33:41:1

The Power of the Copper Snake

MISHNAH

The healing power of the copper snake was not inherent in the snake itself but was contingent upon the Jewish people turning their eyes upward and subjecting their hearts to their Father in Heaven. The Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, discusses the importance of intent and communal responsibility in fulfilling religious obligations.

Incidental to the discussion of the required intent when sounding the shofar, the mishna cites the verse: “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11). It may be asked: Did the hands of Moses make war when he raised them or break war when he lowered them? Rather, the verse comes to tell you that as long as the Jewish people turned their eyes upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed, but if not, they fell…

Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8

The Dual Nature of Power

JEWISH THOUGHT

The story in the Book of Numbers illustrates the dual nature of power and knowledge, showing how they can be used for both healing and harm. This narrative from the Torah highlights Moses' leadership and the transformative moments that can lead to personal growth or downfall.

Looking back at the story as a whole, we see that danger can turn into something you least expect. Power can be used for good. It can turn to evil. Consequences can teach us how to live better by overcoming our mistakes or they can become an endless cycle of repetition from which we can find no relief. Often, it is the leader who can help educate us in the school of life by interpreting potentially transformative moments for personal growth. Moses, for example, held a staff that turned into a snake and back into a staff…

Leadership in the Wilderness; Authority and Anarchy in the Book of Numbers, Part II, Chapter 10; Truth and Consequences 42

The Miracle of the Brass Serpent

COMMENTARY

The brass serpent's healing power was a miracle within a miracle, using the cause of injury as the means of healing, demonstrating that it is G-d alone who has the power to send death and grant life. Ramban, a 13th-century Spanish commentator, explains the significance of the brass serpent Moses made, as described in Numbers 21:9.

AND MOSES MADE ‘NECHASH NECHOSHETH’ (A SERPENT OF BRASS). “He was not told to make it of brass. But Moses said: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, called it a nachash (serpent); therefore I will make it of nechosheth (brass) — since the one word resembles the other [in sound].” This is Rashi’s language, based upon the words of our Rabbis. But I do not understand this, for the Holy One, blessed be He, did not mention to Moses [the word] nachash, but said to him, Make thee ‘saraf’ (a fiery serpent)! But the intention of the Sages is that Moses was guided by…

Ramban on Numbers 21:9:1

Restoring Divine Honor

MUSAR

Moses prioritized restoring God's honor over his own, even when God's command seemed to suggest otherwise. In the 17th-century work Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz explores the profound ethical and mystical dimensions of Moses' actions.

ויעש משה נחש נחושת . The Tzror Hamor, in his commentary on Parshat Bo, in connection with the מזוזות ומשקוף, describes how jealous G–d was of the honor of the righteous, more so even than of His own honor. This is why the word מזוזות, plural, is mentioned first (corresponding to Moses and Aaron), whereas the word משקוף, lintel (which is above the מזוזות which corresponds to G–d), is mentioned last. Moses was unwilling to have that which symbolized G–d mentioned last, therefore when relaying the command, he mentioned the word משקוף first (compare Exodus 12,7, when G–d commands Moses…

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Chukat, Derekh Chayim 7

The Healing Power of Reflection

MUSAR

The spiritual significance of the person bitten by the snake determines the level of reflection required for healing. In Shemirat HaLashon, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) explains the varying degrees of introspection and repentance needed for different individuals to be healed from a snake bite.

And now we shall come to explain the end of the verse, "Whoever was bitten will see the snake and live." It is well known that the words and acts of a man who is not very significant can cause harm only relative to the significance of his soul, as opposed to the words and acts of an eminent man, where the defect ascends to the higher worlds. This is the intent of "Whoever was bitten"; a man who is not significant, and is only in the category of "people," in which instance "if he sees it, he will live…

Shemirat HaLashon, Book II 21:15

Understanding Its Deeper Meaning

COMMENTARY

The bronze serpent symbolizes the Israelites' sin of using their tongues to utter thoughts that angered God. Sforno, a 16th-century Italian rabbi and biblical commentator, explains the connection between the material of the serpent and the nature of the sin in his commentary on Numbers 21:8.

עשה לך שרף, the snake should be constructed of material which is associated with שרפה, burning. The association with “burning one’s tongue” should be uppermost in their minds when contemplating their sin which had been that they allowed their tongues to utter thoughts that angered G’d. They would repent when looking at a snake called שרף, something which “burns” (transitively).

Sforno on Numbers 21:8:1

Divine Intervention and Leadership in the Wilderness

COMMENTARY

The sequence of events involving the copper snake, miraculous well, and battles against Sihon and Og highlights the themes of divine intervention and leadership. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his essays, delves into these episodes from the Book of Numbers, offering insights into the human condition under God's sovereignty.

The people complain again and are attacked by venomous snakes. Moses, at God’s command, places a brass serpent on a pole, so that all who look up to it will be healed. The people sing a song about a miraculous well that gave them water. Moses then leads the people into successful battles against Sihon and Og.

Covenant and Conversation; Numbers; The Wilderness Years, Chukat, Statute and Story 4

The Brazen Serpent, James Tissot, 1896-1902

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