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parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA PSA AMOS HOS 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH PRO ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1TH 2TH 1COR 2COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1TIM TIT 1PET 2PET 2TIM HEB YUD 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN REV
Num Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31 C32 C33 C34 C35 C36
Num 21 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33 V34 V35
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET-LV And_he/it_said YHWH to Mosheh make to/for_yourself(m) a_saraph and_set DOM_him/it on a_standard and_it_was every the_bitten and_looks_at DOM_him/it and_live.
UHB וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ שָׂרָ֔ף וְשִׂ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ עַל־נֵ֑ס וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־הַנָּשׁ֔וּךְ וְרָאָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ וָחָֽי׃ ‡
(vayyoʼmer yhwh ʼel-mosheh ˊₐsēh ləkā sārāf vəsim ʼotō ˊal-nēş vəhāyāh kāl-hannāshūk vərāʼāh ʼotō vāḩāy.)
Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXX Καὶ ηὔξατο Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ· καὶ εἰπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν, ποίησον σεαυτῷ ὄφιν, καὶ θὲς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ σημείου, καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν δάκῃ ὄφις ἄνθρωπον, πᾶς ὁ δεδηγμένος ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ζήσεται.
(Kai aʸuxato Mōusaʸs pros Kurion peri tou laou; kai eipe Kurios pros Mōusaʸn, poiaʸson seautōi ofin, kai thes auton epi saʸmeiou, kai estai ean dakaʸ ofis anthrōpon, pas ho dedaʸgmenos idōn auton zaʸsetai. )
BrTr And Moses prayed to the Lord for the people; and the Lord said to Moses, Make thee a serpent, and put it on a signal-staff; and it shall come to pass that whenever a serpent shall bite a man, every one so bitten that looks upon it shall live.
ULT And Yahweh said to Moses, “Make for yourself a snake and set it on a pole, and it will happen that any of the bitten will see it and live.”
UST Then Yahweh told him, “Make a model of a poisonous snake, and attach it to the top of a pole. If those who are bitten by the snakes look at that model, they will recover.”
BSB § Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”
OEB No OEB NUM book available
WEBBE The LORD said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake, and set it on a pole. It shall happen that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”
WMBB (Same as above)
NET 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.”
LSV And YHWH says to Moses, “Make a burning [serpent] for yourself, and set it on an ensign; and it has been, everyone who is bitten and has seen it—he has lived.”
FBV The Lord told Moses, “Make a model of a snake and put it on a pole. When anyone who has been bitten looks at it, they will live.”
T4T Then Yahweh told him/me, “Make a model/image of a poisonous snake, and attach it to the top of a pole. If those who are bitten by the snakes look at that model, they will ◄recover/get well►.”
LEB And Yahweh said to Moses, “Make for yourself a snake and place it on a pole. When[fn] anyone is bitten and looks at it, that person will live.”
21:8 Hebrew “And it will happen”
BBE And the Lord said to Moses, Make an image of a snake and put it on a rod, and anyone who has been wounded by the snakes, looking on it will be made well.
Moff No Moff NUM book available
JPS 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 seeth it, shall live.'
ASV And Jehovah said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live.
DRA And the Lord said to him: Make brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.
YLT And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Make for thee a burning [serpent], and set it on an ensign; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it — he hath lived.
Drby And Jehovah said to Moses, Make thee a fiery [serpent], and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, and looketh upon it, shall live.
RV And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live.
Wbstr And the LORD said to 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.
KJB-1769 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 the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee/you 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. )
KJB-1611 And the LORD said vnto Moses, Make thee a fierie serpent, and set it vpon a pole: and it shall come to passe, that euery one that is bitten, when hee looketh vpon it, shall liue.
(And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee/you a fierie 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.)
Bshps And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: Make thee a fierie serpent, and set it vp vpon a pole: that as many as are bitten may loke vpon it, and lyue.
(And the Lord said unto Moses: Make thee/you a fierie serpent, and set it up upon a pole: that as many as are bitten may look upon it, and live.)
Gnva And the Lord said vnto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it vp for a signe, that as many as are bitten, may looke vpon it, and liue.
(And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee/you a fiery serpent, and set it up for a signe, that as many as are bitten, may look upon it, and live. )
Cvdl Then sayde the LORDE vnto Moses: Make the a brasen serpente, and set it vp for a token. Who so euer is bytten, and loketh vpon it, shal lyue.
(Then said the LORD unto Moses: Make the a brasen serpente, and set it up for a token. Who so ever is bytten, and looketh/looks upon it, shall live.)
Wycl And Moises preiede for the puple; and the Lord seide to hym, Make thou a serpent of bras, and sette thou it for a signe; he that is smytun and biholdith it, schal lyue.
(And Moses prayed for the puple; and the Lord said to him, Make thou/you a serpent of brass, and set thou/you it for a signe; he that is smytun and biholdith it, shall live.)
Luth Da sprach der HErr zu Mose: Mache dir eine eherne Schlange und richte sie zum Zeichen auf; wer gebissen ist und siehet sie an, der soll leben.
(So spoke the/of_the LORD to Mose: Mache you/to_you one eherne Schlange and richte they/she/them for_the sign auf; who gebissen is and siehet they/she/them an, the/of_the should life.)
ClVg et locutus est Dominus ad eum: Fac serpentem æneum, et pone eum pro signo: qui percussus aspexerit eum, vivet.[fn]
(and spoke it_is Master to him: Fac serpentem æneum, and pone him for signo: who percussus aspexerit him, vivet. )
21.8 Fac serpentem ISID. in Num., tom. 5. Morsus serpentum exaltato et inspecto æneo serpente sanabantur, etc., usque ad vivit per Divinitatem quasi æneus.
21.8 Fac serpentem ISID. in Num., tom. 5. Morsus serpentum exaltato and inspecto æneo serpente sanabantur, etc., until to vivit through Divinitatem as_if æneus.
21:4-9 The “vow to the Lord” and consequent victory (21:2-3) did not eliminate Israel’s criticisms against God and Moses, even though the long journey was punishment for the same kind of complaining (14:26-35).
The Bronze Snake
Numbers 21:4-9 contains one of many incidents in which the Israelites spoke against God and Moses. When the Israelites complained about their lack of food and water and “this horrible manna” (21:5), the Lord sent poisonous snakes that fatally bit many of the people (cp. Deut 8:15). When the Israelites realized their mistake in speaking against God as well as against Moses, they asked Moses to pray that the Lord would remove the snakes. In response, God instructed Moses to make a bronze replica of a snake; whenever the afflicted would look upon the snake, they would be healed (Num 21:8). What kind of medical treatment was this? The power came from God, but it required an act of faith to look at the bronze image and trust that God would heal. Just as the serpent bites resulted from God’s wrath, the Lord provided deliverance through his own gracious will (see Wisdom of Solomon 16:5-7).
When Hezekiah became king of Judah in 715 BC, the Israelites had begun using Moses’ bronze serpent as an idol (see 2 Kgs 18:1-4). They had probably kept the image as a reminder of God’s power, just as they kept other artifacts from the wilderness period (see Deut 10:5; Heb 9:4-5). But they began worshiping it as another deity, so it had to be destroyed like other pagan shrines and sacred pillars. Such idolatry is a serious threat to the worship of the one true God (cp. Exod 32).
Jesus referred to the incident of the bronze snake to predict the manner of his execution: He would be “lifted up” on the cross just as Moses had lifted up the snake on a pole (John 3:14-15; see also 8:28; 12:32-33). The metal image of a snake offered an antidote to injected venom; by analogy, those who look at the cross and accept God’s sacrifice lay claim to an eternal promise (John 3:14-16). The Lord sent the serpents to punish Israel because they complained about the manna God had sent them in the wilderness (Num 21:4-9). Jesus referred to himself as the “true bread from heaven,” the manna that provides life for his people (John 6:32-40).
Passages for Further Study
Num 21:4-9; 2 Kgs 18:1-4; John 3:14-15; 6:32-40; 8:28; 12:30-34
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
(Occurrence 0) Make a snake
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Mosheh make/work/create/deal to/for=yourself(m) snake and,set DOM=him/it on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in pole and=it_was all/each/any/every the,bitten and,looks_at DOM=him/it and,live )
Since it is impossible for Moses to make a real snake, it is implied that he was to make a model of a snake. This implied information can be made clear. Alternate translation: “Make a model of a snake”
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
(Occurrence 0) everyone who is bitten
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Mosheh make/work/create/deal to/for=yourself(m) snake and,set DOM=him/it on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in pole and=it_was all/each/any/every the,bitten and,looks_at DOM=him/it and,live )
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “everyone whom a snake bites”
Numbers 13-14; 20-21; 33; Deuteronomy 1-2; 10:6-9
After the Israelites received the law on Mount Sinai, which may have been located at Khashm et-Tarif (see also “The Route of the Exodus”), they traveled to Kadesh-barnea, a distance that took eleven days “by the way of Mount Seir” (Deuteronomy 1:2). The phrase “by the way of Mount Seir” suggests that more than one route existed between Mount Sinai and Kadesh, as shown here, but the road the Israelites took probably ran alongside the mountainous region of Seir. This route would have offered greater access to water from wells, natural springs, and seasonal streams flowing from the hills of Seir–a critical necessity for a large group traveling through this very arid region. Nearly every location identified on this map was essentially a small community centered around one of these life-enabling sources of water. After reaching Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, the Israelites prepared to enter Canaan by sending spies to scout out the land. But when ten of the twelve spies brought back news about the strength of the Canaanites, the people became afraid to enter the land, so the Lord punished them by condemning them to travel in the wilderness for forty years until that generation died off. Some Israelites repented and tried to enter the land, but they were beaten back to Hormah by the Amalekites and Canaanites. So for forty years the Israelites traveled from place to place, probably in the general area of Kadesh-barnea, though very few locations mentioned are able to be established with much certainty. As the forty years of traveling drew to a close, the Israelites prepared again to travel to Canaan by requesting permission from the king of Edom to pass through his land. When the king refused, the Israelites “turned away” from the Edomites and set out from Kadesh to travel to Mount Hor. The Jewish historian Josephus located Mount Hor at Jebel Nebi Harun, a very tall mountain in eastern Edom, but this has been rejected by many scholars in favor of other sites such as Jebel Madeira to the northeast of Kadesh. This author is convinced, however, that any candidate for Mount Hor must be sought to the south of Kadesh-barnea. Numbers 33:30 and Deuteronomy 10:6 mention that, during their wilderness travels, the Israelites camped at Moseroth/Moserah, which was apparently located at Mount Hor, since both Moseroth/Moserah and Mount Hor are cited as the place where Aaron died (Numbers 21:29-29; 33:37-39; Deuteronomy 10:6-9). It is difficult to envision the Israelites traveling back to the edge of Canaan after suffering defeat there the last time they attempted to enter the land. These same passages also note that after their stay at Moseroth/Moserah the Israelites traveled to Hor-haggidgad/Gudgodah (probably located along the Wadi Khadakhid) and then to Jotbathah, with no mention of passing through Kadesh, which they would have had to do if Mount Hor was north of Kadesh (since they were avoiding the land of Edom). Also, in Deuteronomy 2:1 Moses says that after the Israelites left Kadesh, “we journeyed back into the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea, as the Lord had told me and skirted Mount Seir for many days,” and Aaron’s death on Mount Hor fits best during this time. Similarly, Numbers 21:4 says “from Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom,” but there would have been no way to the Red Sea around the land of Edom if Mount Hor were located northeast of Kadesh. One element of the wilderness narratives that appears to favor a northeast location for Mount Hor, however, is the story of the king of Arad, which the book of Numbers (chapters 21 and 33) places immediately after the death of Aaron on Mount Hor. At first glance, the narrative seems to imply that the king attacked the Israelites at Mount Hor, which fits better with a northern location. Yet, it is also possible that the story is simply noting that it was after the Israelites’ arrival at Mount Hor that the king of Arad first learned of the Israelites’ renewed intentions to enter Canaan, perhaps as a result of their request to pass through Edom. But it may have been later that the king of Arad actually engaged them in battle, perhaps as they were passing north of Zalmonah and appeared to be ready to enter Canaan by way of Arad (see Numbers 33:41-42 and the map “The Journey to Abel-shittim”). For these reasons, this author believes that Har Karkom is the best candidate for the location of Mount Hor. The site is appropriately located at the edge of Seir and along the way to the Red Sea. This site’s role as an ancient cultic center is also well established. Perhaps Aaron’s priestly duties and authority in Israel had grown out of a similar role he had previously held at Mount Hor (see also Numbers 12:1-2; Deuteronomy 33:2; Judges 5:4-5), where he was eventually buried.