6
Then YHWHוַ יְהוָהsentיְשַׁלַּחamong the peopleבָּעָםthe fieryהַשְּׂרָפִיםserpents,אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁיםand they bitוַיְנַשְּׁכוּthe people,אֶת הָעָםand manyוַ רָבpeopleעַםof Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵלdied.יָּמָת
Numbers 21:6
Study it in the app“Then YHWH sent among the people the fiery serpents, and they bit the people, and many people of Israel died.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Numbers 21:6, word by word
- Then YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- sentיְשַׁלַּחyeshalach
send
To send someone or something.
Where else “yeshalach” appears- among the peopleעָםam
crowd
The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.
Where else “am” appears- the fieryשְּׂרָפִיםserafim
fiery serpent
A snake whose venomous bite burns.
Where else “serafim” appears- serpentsנְּחָשִׁיםnechashim
serpent
A legless reptile that crawls and often bites with venom.
Where else “nechashim” appears- and they bitיְנַשְּׁכוּyenashchu
bite
To sink the teeth in, like a snake that strikes and poisons.
Where else “yenashchu” appears- and manyרָבrav
many
A great number of people or things.
Where else “rav” appears- of Israelיִּשְׂרָאֵלyisrael
Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appears- diedיָּמָתyamat
die
To cease living; also, one who has ceased living.
Where else “yamat” appears
Translation note
“Fiery” translates saraf, from the root “burn”; it may refer to the burning of the bite.
The context
5And the people spoke against Elohim and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread and there is no water, and our soul loathes this worthless food.”
6 · This verse (above)
7And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against YHWH and against you. Pray to YHWH, that he may take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.