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Numbers 21:8

“And YHWH said to Moses, “Make for yourself a fiery serpent and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.””

Numbers 21:8 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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8

Explicit type · John 3:14

Go to John 3:14

Jesus compares his being lifted up with the bronze serpent that Moses set on a pole; in Numbers 21:8-9 whoever looked at it lived.

The biblical author himself makes the connection, in these words:

καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14)

  • מֹשֶׁהmosheH4872ΜωϋσῆςMōysēsG3475“Moses”
  • נְחַשׁnejashH5175ὄφινophinG3789“serpent”

Numbers 21:8, word by word

And 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
saidיֹּאמֶרyomer

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomer” appears
Mosesמֹשֶׁהmoshe

Moses

Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).

Where else “moshe” appears
“Makeעֲשֵׂהase

make

To build or create something.

Where else “ase” appears
a fiery serpentשָׂרָףsaraf

fiery serpent

A snake whose venomous bite burns.

Where else “saraf” appears
and setשִׂיםsim

put

To put something somewhere.

Where else “sim” appears
a poleנֵסnes

banner

A signal raised on a staff, for all to gather.

Where else “nes” appears
everyoneהָיָהhaya

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “haya” appears
who is bittenנָּשׁוּךְnashuch

bite

To sink the teeth in, like a snake that strikes and poisons.

Where else “nashuch” appears
when he seesרָאָהraa

see

To see with one's eyes.

Where else “raa” appears
shall liveחָיchay

live

Live.

Where else “chay” appears

The context

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.

8 · This verse (above)

9So Moses made a serpent of bronze and set it on the pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look to the serpent of bronze and live.

Read all of Numbers 21

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