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In the biblical Books of Kings (2 Kings 18:4; written c. 550 BC), the Nehushtan (/nəˈhʊʃtən/; Hebrew: נְחֻשְׁתָּן, romanized: Nəḥuštān [nəħuʃtaːn]) is the bronze image of a serpent on a pole. The image is described in the Book of Numbers, where Yahweh instructed Moses to erect it so that the Israelites who saw it would be cured and be protected from dying from the bites of the "fiery serpents", which Yahweh had sent to punish them for speaking against him and Moses (Numbers 21:4–9).

According to 2 Kings 18:4, King Hezekiah instituted an iconoclastic reform: "He abolished the shrines, 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."[1] Historical findings have also shown that the utilization of bronze serpents was not unique. In several Canaanite cities there were discoveries of the cultic use of these objects. It may have represented traces of an older practice associated with medicine and healing, that was also not restricted to the Levant.[2]

Etymology

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"Nehushtan" is a pun on either the Hebrew word for "snake" (נָחָשׁ, nāḥāš) or "brass" (נְחשֶׁת, nəḥošeṯ), and thus may mean "The (Great) Serpent" or "The (Great) Brass".[3]

Alternative translations

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The English Standard Version of the Bible and the majority of contemporary English translations refer to the serpent as made of "bronze", whereas the King James Version and a number of other versions state "brass". 2 Kings 18:4 is translated as "brasen" in the King James Version.[4] The Douay-Rheims 1899 edition has "brazen". Eugene H. Peterson, in his paraphrase of the Bible The Message (2002), opted for "a snake of fiery copper".[5]

Serpent image

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Snake cults had been well established in Canaan in the Bronze Age: archaeologists have uncovered serpent cult objects in Bronze Age strata at several pre-Israelite cities in Canaan: two at Megiddo,[6] one at Gezer,[7] one in the sanctuary of the Area H temple at Tel Hazor[8] and two at Shechem.[9] Cultic serpent imagery was not isolated to Canaan. It appeared in surrounding areas, including the Esagila or temple of Marduk as tutelary deity in Babylon, where pairs of bronze serpents were erected beside each entrance to the temple.[2]

According to Lowell K. Handy, the Nehushtan may have been the symbol of a deity for snakebite cure within the Temple in Jerusalem.[10]

In scriptures

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Hebrew Bible

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See also: Serpents in the Bible § Serpent of bronze
Moses lifts up the brass snake in a photograph of the stained glass window at St Marks Church, Gillingham
The Brazen Serpent (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)
The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan has a Roman column and, on top of it, a bronze serpent donated by emperor Basil II in 1007. It may be the origin of the biscione/bissa symbol of Milan.[11]

In the biblical story, following their Exodus from Egypt, the Israelites set out from Mount Hor to go to the Red Sea. However they had to detour around the land of Edom (Numbers 20:21, 25). Impatient, they complained against Yahweh and Moses (Numbers 21:4–5), and in response God sent "fiery serpents" among them and many died. The people came to Moses to repent and asked him to ask God to take away the serpents. Verse 9 says, "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."

The term appears in 2 Kings 18:4 in a passage describing reforms made by King Hezekiah, in which he tore down the high places, cut down symbols of Asherah, destroyed the Nehushtan,[12][13][14] and according to many Bible translations, gave it that name.[15]

Regarding the passage in 2 Kings 18:4,[15] M. G. Easton noted that "the lapse of nearly one thousand years had invested the 'brazen serpent' with a mysterious sanctity; and in order to deliver the people from their infatuation, and impress them with the idea of its worthlessness, Hezekiah called it, in contempt, 'Nehushtan', a brazen thing, a mere piece of brass".[3]

The tradition of naming it Nehushtan is not considered older than Hezekiah's time.[16]

New Testament

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In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes a comparison between the raising up of the Son of Man and the act of the serpent being raised by Moses for the healing of the people.[17] Jesus says "And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up". (John 3:14)

Charles Spurgeon preached a famous sermon on "the Mysteries of the Brazen Serpent" and this passage from John's Gospel in 1857.[18]

Book of Mormon

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In the Book of Mormon, three prophets make reference to this event. The first is the prophet Nephi, son of Lehi in a general discourse,[19][20] the second is many years later by the prophet Alma,[21] and the third is years later by Alma's great-grandson also named Nephi. Nephi tells the people that many of the Israelites perished because of the simplicity and faith required i.e., "and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished." In the latter narrative, Alma tells the people of Antionum that many of the Israelites died because they lacked the faith to look at the brazen serpent. He then compared the brazen serpent to a type of Christ and exhorted the people to look to Christ and spiritually live.[22] These same themes from Alma were reiterated by Nephi in the Book of Helaman.

Rabbinic literature

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A modern monument of the bronze serpent (which Moses erected in the Negev desert) on Mount Nebo, in front of the church of Saint Moses (2018).

Inasmuch as the serpent in the Talmud stands for such evils as talebearing and defamation of character (Genesis 3:4–5), the Midrash finds in the plague of the fiery serpents a punishment for sins of the evil tongue (Numbers 21:5). God said: "Let the serpent who was the first to offend by 'evil tongue' inflict punishment on those who were guilty of the same sin and did not profit by the serpent's example".

One of the complaints in this case was dissatisfaction with the manna. Whereas the manna is said to have had any taste desired by the person eating it (Shemot Rabbah 25:3), to the serpent all things had the taste of dust, in accordance with the words: "And dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" (Genesis 3:14). It was very appropriate, therefore, that they who loathed the food which had given any taste desired, should be punished by means of that creature to which everything has the same taste (Tan., ed. Buber, Ḥuḳḳat, xlv. [337]; Midrash R. Num. xix. 22). The Mishnah does not take literally the words "Every one who was bitten by a serpent would look at the serpent and live", but interprets them symbolically. The people should look up to the God of heaven, for it is not the serpent that either brings to life or puts to death, but it is God (Mishnah R. H. 3:8, B. Talmud R.H. 29a). In the course of time, however, the people lost sight of the symbolical meaning and regarded the serpent itself as the seat of the healing power, and they made it an object of worship, so that Hezekiah found it necessary to destroy it (2 Kings 18:4; see also Ber. 10a).[23]

The question that puzzled Heinrich Ewald ("Gesch. des Volkes Israel," iii. 669, note 5) and others, "Where was the brazen serpent till the time of Hezekiah?" occupied the Talmudists also. They answered it in a very simple way: Asa and Joshaphat, when clearing away the idols, purposely left the brazen serpent behind, in order that Hezekiah might also be able to do a praiseworthy deed in breaking it (Ḥul. 6b).[24]

Debated origins

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Old Testament scholar H. H. Rowley proposed that Nehushtan, as it was known during Hezekiah’s reign, had no origins in Yahwism despite being regarded as a symbol of Yahweh at the time of its destruction. [25] Instead, Rowley theorized that the bronze serpent destroyed by King Hezekiah was a sacred pre-Israelite symbol of serpent worship associated with a Canaanite god and was adapted by the Israelites following the occupation of Jerusalem.[26] W.W.G. Baudissin was also of the belief that the Canaanite bronze serpent was adapted by the Israelites between 850–750 B.C.E following their settlement in Jerusalem.[27]

Egyptologist Henry Hall supports the theory that the Nehushtan destroyed by Hezekiah was not associated with Yahweh, but Hall alternately suggests that it was an ancient serpent image carried from Egypt by the ancestors of the Israelites.[28] This theory is supported by acknowledging the standard Egyptian practice of using the image of a serpent as to defend themselves against snake bites,[29] in a form of sympathetic magic.

In his notion that the brazen serpent existed within Jerusalem before the arrival of the Israelites, Rowley argues that there is no record of Nehushtan before the reign of Hezekiah, aside from the Numbers 21 story of the bronze serpent. Rowley states that had Nehushtan been brought into Jerusalem at any time as a genuine relic, there would be a documented record of its arrival or transfer. In his argument, Rowley also inserts that the arrival of Moses's sacred rod would be a public spectacle with an honorary procession, which would be well documented.[30] Instead, he proposes that the bronze serpent became associated with Nehushtan through process of religious syncretism, citing that the gradual fusion of Canaanite and Israelite beliefs and customs. He hypothesized that symbols representing both religions may have been erected side by side within a sanctuary or public space as a political maneuver following the Israelite settlement.[31]

Hebraist and Old Testament scholar R. H. Kennett hypothesized that Moses made the Brazen Serpent and that the Ark of the Covenant was created specifically to contain it despite no known written reference made to the Ark's contents. Kennett also theorized that should Nehushtan truly date back to the time of Moses, it was either maintained by priests after fleeing to Nob from Shiloh or accompanied the Ark as it was carried off by the Philistines.[32] This is not widely accepted due to no known tradition or association between the Serpent and Ark.[33]

In art

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In 1508 Michelangelo's image of the Israelites deliverance from the plague of serpents by the creation of the bronze serpent, on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

There is a Brazen Serpent Monument on Mount Nebo in Jordan created by Italian artist Giovanni Fantoni.[34] Similarly, on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo painted a mural of the Israelites' deliverance from the plague of serpents by the creation of the bronze serpent.

See also

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Footnotes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Nehushtan

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Nehushtan was a serpent crafted by at God's instruction to heal the from deadly snakebites during their journey, as described in the . Mounted on a pole, it served as an apotropaic device through which afflicted individuals could look upon it for , reflecting principles of in ancient practices. The artifact, named Nehushtan—a term derived from the Hebrew neḥošet meaning "" or "," possibly with a connotation to demean its idolatrous status—remained venerated for centuries until King destroyed it in the 8th century BCE as part of his religious reforms against . According to Numbers 21:4–9, the Israelites grew impatient during their detour around Edom, complaining against God and Moses about their hardships, which prompted God to send venomous serpents (saraphim) whose bites caused widespread death. Upon repenting, the people asked Moses to intercede, and God directed him to fashion the bronze serpent: "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." This act not only addressed the immediate crisis but also symbolized divine mercy and obedience, with the serpent's material (neḥošet) evoking both the affliction (snakes, naḥash) and the cure through faith. By the time of King 's reign in Judah (circa 715–686 BCE), the Nehushtan had evolved into a cultic object, with burning to it in worship, contrary to monotheistic principles. As part of his broader purge of pagan elements—including high places, sacred stones, and poles—Hezekiah "broke into pieces the bronze snake had made," explicitly noting its name and prior veneration. This destruction underscored Hezekiah's commitment to centralizing worship in and eliminating syncretistic influences. Scholars interpret the Nehushtan as a relic of ancient Near Eastern serpent symbolism, potentially originating from Bronze Age Canaanite fertility cults or Egyptian iconography like the uraeus, which associated snakes with protection and healing. Its dual role—from salvific symbol to forbidden idol—highlights tensions in Israelite religion between legitimate ritual objects and emerging aniconism, influencing later Jewish and Christian theology. In the New Testament, it is referenced as a prefiguration of the cross (John 3:14–15). No physical remains have been archaeologically identified, but its narrative persists as a cautionary tale against idolatry in biblical tradition.

Terminology

Etymology

The term Nehushtan (נְחֻשְׁתָּן) is derived from two related Hebrew roots: nāḥāš (נָחָשׁ), meaning "serpent" or "snake," and nəḥošeṯ (נְחֹשֶׁת), meaning "," "," or "." This etymological formation creates a portmanteau that simultaneously evokes the object's serpentine shape and its metallic composition, underscoring its dual identity as both a symbolic creature and a crafted artifact. In 2 Kings 18:4, the name appears in the context of King 's religious reforms, where he destroys the bronze serpent originally fashioned by to protect the from venomous snakes during their journey. Hezekiah contemptuously labels it Nehushtan—translatable as "the bronze (thing)" or "the (brazen) serpent"—to ridicule its idolatrous by the , who had been burning to it. This usage highlights the term's rhetorical function as a dismissive , reducing a once-sacred relic to mere material worthlessness. Linguistically, Nehushtan exemplifies ancient Hebrew through its blend of homophonous roots, a technique common in biblical to convey scorn or irony. The addition of the emphatic or diminutive ending (-an) intensifies the mockery, implying something trivial like "a mere bit of " or "the great snake(-thing)," thereby stripping away any perceived divine aura. Scholars interpret this as a deliberate of the object's sanctity, aligning with Hezekiah's broader campaign against cultic icons.

Alternative Translations

The term "Nehushtan" in 2 Kings 18:4 has been translated with varying descriptors for the material of the serpent, reflecting scholarly debates over the Hebrew word nəḥošeṯ, which can denote , (a -tin ), or (a -zinc ). In the King James Version (KJV), published in 1611, the object is rendered as the " serpent," using "" to evoke a reddish metal , consistent with usage where "" often referred to bronze-like materials in biblical contexts. Later English translations shifted toward precision in metallurgy; the (NIV, 1978) describes it as the " snake," emphasizing the 's historical prevalence in ancient Near Eastern artifacts. Similarly, the (NRSV, 1989) uses " serpent," aligning with archaeological evidence of serpent in the region. Some contemporary translations and scholarly interpretations opt for "" to highlight the , as pure was common in early Israelite and fits the etymological on nāḥāš (serpent) and nəḥošeṯ. For instance, certain modern Jewish translations render it as the " serpent," underscoring the object's simplicity and potential use without assuming alloying techniques. Early non-Hebrew versions also show interpretive choices. The , the Greek translation of the completed by the 2nd century BCE, employs chalkoun (χαλκοῦν), meaning "of bronze" or "brazen," for the serpent, reflecting Hellenistic understandings of durable metalwork. The Latin , Jerome's 4th-century translation, uses aeneum (from aes, denoting or ), translating the serpent as serpentem aeneum, which influenced medieval and by evoking polished, enduring . These translation variations affect perceptions of Nehushtan's composition and symbolism; "brass" in older texts suggests a more ornate, possibly idolatrous artifact, while "bronze" or "copper" implies a utilitarian healing talisman tied to ancient metallurgical practices, influencing interpretations of its cultural resonance from Mosaic relic to Hezekian iconoclasm.

Scriptural References

Hebrew Bible

In the Book of Numbers, the narrative recounts an incident during the Israelites' wilderness journey where they grew impatient and spoke against God and Moses, leading to divine judgment in the form of venomous "fiery serpents" (Hebrew: saraph) that bit the people, causing many deaths. To remedy this, God instructed Moses to make a serpent of bronze (nachash nechoshet) and set it on a pole, promising that anyone bitten who looked upon it would live. Moses complied, and the bronze serpent became a means of healing, symbolizing obedience and faith in God's provision. Centuries later, during the reign of King of Judah (ca. 715–686 BCE), the serpent had endured as a sacred object in the Temple but had devolved into an idol worshiped by burning to it. As part of his religious reforms to centralize worship and eliminate pagan influences, destroyed the serpent, which was called Nehushtan—a term possibly derisively playing on the Hebrew words for "" (nechoshet) and "serpent" (nachash), to underscore its idolatrous veneration. This destruction marked a pivotal theological shift in ancient Israelite , underscoring the transition from tolerance of cultic relics to strict monotheistic devotion to alone, rejecting any intermediary objects that could foster . Hezekiah's act aligned with Deuteronomistic ideals of purging foreign worship practices, reinforcing the covenantal exclusivity of .

New Testament

In the Gospel of John, Jesus references the bronze serpent during his conversation with , drawing a parallel between the event in the wilderness and his own impending . He states, "And as lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" (:14–15, ESV). This allusion, rooted in the account where the serpent served as a means of for those bitten by venomous snakes, underscores the necessity of in looking to the elevated figure for salvation. The typology highlights explicit parallels, including the fiery serpents as divine judgment for disobedience, the bronze serpent providing physical salvation through faith, its dual nature symbolizing both sin and deliverance (echoing Genesis 3), the shared motif of "lifting up" as a means of healing, and the faith requirement for receiving life. Theologically, the bronze serpent functions as a typological prefiguration of Christ's redemptive act, symbolizing how sin's deadly consequences are overcome through in the crucified Savior. In this Christian soteriological framework, the act of looking upon the serpent mirrors the required to receive eternal life, with Jesus' elevation on the providing the ultimate antidote to . The serpent itself represents borne by the innocent Christ, who, though sinless, takes on the form of sinful humanity to defeat its power, akin to the bronze image absorbing without possessing venom. Early elaborated on this , viewing the narrative as a call to overcome temptation through contemplation of the . of (c. 185–254 CE), in his , interpreted the bronze serpent as a type of Christ's , portraying it as a dual victory: the elevation crucifies both the Savior and the , counteracting the primordial temptation from the serpent in Eden as a cure for humanity's fall into . This reading emphasizes spiritual healing via , transforming the wilderness symbol into a profound of in Christian doctrine.

Book of Mormon

In the , the bronze serpent raised by in the wilderness serves as a Christological type, symbolizing the necessity of in looking to the Savior for , as referenced in the core biblical narrative of Numbers 21. Nephi cites this event in 1 Nephi 17:40–41 while exhorting his brothers, recounting how the Lord sent fiery flying serpents among the murmuring , and after they were bitten, prepared healing through the simple act of looking, though many perished due to the perceived easiness of the way and their lack of . This portrayal emphasizes obedience and trust as essential to receiving divine deliverance. Similarly, in Helaman 8:14, the prophet Nephi draws a direct parallel, stating that just as lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, so would the be lifted up, Christ's as the means of redemption for those who look to Him with . Alma further expounds on this symbolism in his discourse to the Zoramites in Alma 33:19–20, using the bronze serpent as an instructive type to teach and in Christ. He explains that raised up this symbol in the so that whosoever would look upon it might live, and many did so to receive , yet few understood its deeper meaning due to hardened hearts, leading others to perish from unbelief rather than physical impossibility. Alma parallels this with spiritual , urging his audience to look to the for from and , highlighting how overcomes doubt in accessing God's . Within Latter-day Saint theology, these Book of Mormon references to the bronze serpent underscore the text's divine inspiration by maintaining consistent biblical typology, integrating the ancient symbol into a prophetic framework that anticipates Christ's atonement and aligns with Hebraic traditions of seraphic imagery and redemptive looking. According to Latter-day Saint scholars, this typological harmony evidences the book's authenticity as restored scripture, reinforcing themes of faith and obedience across dispensations.

Ancient Context and Symbolism

Serpent Imagery

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, serpents held multifaceted symbolic significance, often embodying fertility, protection, and within religious and cultic practices. In Canaanite traditions, snakes were frequently associated with fertility deities such as , depicted alongside sacred trees or pillars in from sites like Hazor and , where they represented renewal and agricultural abundance. Similarly, in , the serpent featured prominently as an apotropaic emblem, warding off evil and ensuring divine safeguarding; the , a stylized rearing affixed to the pharaoh's crown, symbolized sovereignty, protection from enemies, and regenerative powers linked to goddesses like . These motifs extended to broader contexts, where serpents invoked renewal and counteracted or affliction, reflecting their dual role as both peril and in cultic rituals. Archaeological evidence underscores the prevalence of serpent cults in the Late (ca. 1550–1200 BCE), particularly in Canaanite contexts that predate Israelite settlement. Excavations have uncovered serpent figurines in cultic settings at key sites, including Megiddo, where snake motifs appeared in shrine deposits; Gezer's , yielding a coiled serpent; Hazor, with two such artifacts from temple areas; and , featuring serpent imagery in association with shrines. These finds, dating primarily to the 13th–12th centuries BCE, suggest ritual use for apotropaic purposes—averting harm or invoking protection—and highlight serpents' integration into local religious life as symbols of chthonic power and vitality. Additional examples from Timna and Tell Mevorakh further illustrate this widespread tradition, often in domestic or sanctuary contexts tied to healing and . The biblical narrative of the Nehushtan reinterprets these pagan serpent symbols within a monotheistic framework, transforming an apotropaic icon into a divinely sanctioned instrument of healing. As described in Numbers 21, fashions a bronze serpent on a pole at God's command to cure bitten by venomous snakes, subverting Canaanite and Egyptian cultic associations by attributing salvific power solely to rather than inherent magical properties. This portrayal critiques and repurposes extrabiblical serpent worship, emphasizing faith in divine intervention over idolatrous veneration, while echoing the protective and restorative roles serpents held in surrounding cultures.

Debated Origins

Scholars debate the historical origins of Nehushtan, the bronze serpent referenced in 2 Kings 18:4, due to the absence of any pre-Hezekiah textual or archaeological evidence linking it directly to Mosaic times. The earliest biblical mention occurs during King Hezekiah's reforms in the late 8th century BCE, when it was destroyed as an idolatrous object venerated by burning incense to it, suggesting it had been an ancient heirloom relic preserved and cultically significant for centuries prior. This lack of earlier attestation implies that the tradition attributing its creation to Moses in Numbers 21:8–9 may represent a later Deuteronomistic retrojection to legitimize its presence in the Jerusalem Temple rather than reflecting a genuine 13th-century BCE artifact. One prominent hypothesis posits Canaanite origins for Nehushtan, viewing it as a Bronze Age (ca. 1550–1200 BCE) vestige of pre-Israelite religious practices integrated into early Yahwistic worship. Iconographic evidence from sites like Hazor, Gezer, and Timna reveals serpent motifs associated with fertility cults, potentially tied to the goddess Asherah, whose symbols included serpentine forms symbolizing protection and renewal. Modern scholars such as William G. Dever argue that such cultic objects, including possible Asherah-linked serpents, were common in household and temple folk religion, blurring lines between orthodox Yahwism and Canaanite influences until reforms like Hezekiah's purged them. Nehushtan likely originated as part of Asherah veneration in the Temple, with its Mosaic attribution serving as an etiological explanation to sanitize its pagan roots during periods of religious centralization. An alternative theory highlights Egyptian influences, given the serpent's apotropaic role in warding off venomous snakes, akin to uraei symbols of and worn by pharaohs and deities. This connection may have resurfaced in Judah during Hezekiah's era amid alliances with following the Assyrian conquest of in 722 BCE, as evidenced by bullae depicting winged serpents from Judean sites like Tel Aphek. However, no direct archaeological artifact matches the biblical Nehushtan, complicating verification. Debates persist over its material composition—termed neḥuštān from neḥošet, which denotes but could imply —reflecting ancient metallurgical practices where such items were valued for durability and symbolic potency, explaining its survival into the despite aniconic prohibitions.

Interpretations and Depictions

Rabbinic Literature

In , the bronze serpent, known as Nehushtan, is interpreted not as a magical but as a catalyst for spiritual reflection and repentance. The Babylonian in 29a explains that the healing of the from the ' bites (Numbers 21:4–9) occurred not because of the serpent itself, but through their act of gazing upward toward heaven, symbolizing submission to God and contrition for their s. This view underscores that divine intervention depends on human repentance rather than physical objects. Furthermore, the links the serpents' "venom" to the sin of slander or evil speech, drawing a parallel to the serpent's role in the , where it first used words to tempt humanity. Midrashic sources expand on King Hezekiah's destruction of the Nehushtan (2 Kings 18:4) as an act of exemplary that tested and strengthened Israelite against . In Numbers Rabbah 19:22, the plague of serpents is portrayed as specifically for the ' complaints, which involved sinful speech, reinforcing the ethical connection between verbal sins and the serpent motif. Hezekiah's merit is highlighted in the (Pesachim 56a), where his breaking of the relic—despite its origins—is praised as a bold rejection of incipient , preventing the object from becoming a false deity and earning him divine favor. This act is seen as a pivotal moment that purified by removing even venerated items that risked idolatrous . These interpretations yield broader ethical lessons in Jewish thought, emphasizing the impermanence of religious artifacts and the need to destroy holy objects if they evolve into idols. Rabbinic commentators, such as those in the Midrash, stress that Nehushtan's fate serves as a cautionary model: what begins as a God-ordained symbol must not supplant faith in the divine, influencing traditional Jewish aversion to relics or icons that could foster superstition over direct devotion to God. This principle reinforces monotheistic purity, ensuring that piety remains focused on ethical behavior and repentance rather than material intermediaries.

Early Christian Interpretation

Early Christian interpreters viewed the bronze serpent as a prefiguration of Christ's crucifixion and redemptive work. Jesus explicitly referenced the event in John 3:14-15, stating, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." This establishes the bronze serpent as a clear typology, linking physical healing through faith in the Old Testament to spiritual salvation through belief in Christ. Patristic writers expanded on this connection. St. Gregory the Theologian (also known as Gregory of Nazianzus, c. 329–390) discussed the bronze serpent in his theological orations, noting that it was raised as a remedy against the bites of poisonous serpents, serving not directly as a type of Christ but as a contrast that highlights the redemptive suffering of the Son of Man for humanity's salvation. Just as the Israelites were healed by looking upon the serpent in faith, believers find eternal life by looking to the crucified Christ.

Academic Scholarship

Contemporary biblical scholars affirm the typological importance of the bronze serpent narrative. G.K. Beale, in his "New International Greek Testament Commentary on the Book of Revelation," and James Hamilton, in his studies on the Book of Numbers, emphasize that Jesus' direct citation in John 3:14 validates the event as authentic biblical typology rather than allegorical invention. They argue that this Old Testament occurrence functions as a prophetic pattern foreshadowing Christ's work, encapsulating themes of divine judgment borne through the symbol of sin (the serpent) and salvation achieved by faith-directed gaze, paralleling the lifting up of Christ on the cross.

In Art

One prominent Renaissance depiction of Nehushtan appears in Michelangelo's fresco The Brazen Serpent (c. 1512), located in the spandrels of the . This work illustrates the biblical scene from Numbers 21, portraying afflicted gazing upward toward the elevated bronze serpent for healing, with contorted figures in agony on the right contrasting survivors reaching in hope on the left, emphasizing themes of divine deliverance through dramatic, muscular forms typical of Michelangelo's style. In modern times, Nehushtan has inspired commemorative monuments, notably the bronze sculpture by Italian artist Giovanni Fantoni atop in . This serpentine cross structure merges the form of the ancient bronze serpent with a Christian , symbolizing both the wilderness healing and Christ's as referenced in John 3:14, and serves as a pilgrimage site overlooking the biblical landscape associated with . Within Christian iconography, Nehushtan frequently symbolizes the , representing through , as seen in the Mount Nebo monument where the serpent's coil evokes Christ's elevated form on the for spiritual healing. In contrast, Jewish artistic traditions exhibit limited representations of Nehushtan, largely due to the biblical narrative's emphasis on its destruction to prevent idolatrous worship, aligning with broader prohibitions against graven images.

References

  1. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+21%3A4-9&version=NIV
  2. https://www.thetorah.com/article/nehushtan-the-copper-serpent-its-origins-and-fate
  3. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+18%3A4&version=NIV
  4. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A14-15&version=NIV
  5. https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Nehushtan.html
  6. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3263536
  7. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3259856
  8. https://jbqnew.jewishbible.org/jbq-past-issues/2017/453/nehoshet-copper-bronze-brass-plausible-tanakh/
  9. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+18%3A4&version=NRSV
  10. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/nehushtan
  11. https://biblehub.com/sep/2_kings/18.htm
  12. https://www.studylight.org/bible/lat/jvl/2-kings/18-4.html
  13. https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/hezekiah/
  14. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/fourth-sunday-in-lent-2/commentary-on-numbers-214-9-5
  15. https://www.academia.edu/46875466/Numbers_21_in_John_3
  16. https://www.gotquestions.org/bronze-serpent.html
  17. https://bible.org/seriespage/9-typology-christ
  18. http://torreys.org/sblpapers2015/S22-04_BronzeserpentDeLuca.pdf
  19. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/17?lang=eng
  20. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/hel/8?lang=eng
  21. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/33?lang=eng
  22. https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/serpents-of-fire-and-brass-a-contextual-study-of-the-brazen-serpent-tradition-in-the-book-of-mormon/
  23. https://worldhistoryedu.com/uraeus-in-ancient-egypt/
  24. https://egypt-museum.com/amulet-of-lion-headed-uraeus/
  25. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/PERCEPTIONS-OF-THE-SERPENT-IN-THE-ANCIENT-NEAR-ITS-Golding/9cd2967108e720fc260ab99bef0a3ae00399b5ed
  26. https://www.academia.edu/4512018/The_Cult_of_the_Bronze_Serpents_in_Ancient_Canaan_and_Israel
  27. https://www.sefaria.org/Rosh_Hashanah.29a
  28. https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3660-brazen-serpent
  29. https://www.sefaria.org/Numbers_Rabbah.19.22
  30. https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11430-nehushtan
  31. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A14-15&version=KJV
  32. https://henrysthreads.com/2009/03/st-gregory-the-theologian-on-ransom-and-the-bronze-serpent/
  33. https://frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PoythressVernBiblicalTypology.pdf
  34. https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-typology-in-job/
  35. https://www.wga.hu/html/m/michelan/3sistina/5spandre/10_4pe4.html
  36. https://madainproject.com/brazen_serpent
  37. https://holyjordan.myjordanjourney.com/blog/nehushtan-the-brazen-serpent-high-atop-mount-nebo
  38. https://thevcs.org/bronze-serpent
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