» » »

Torah

Navigating the Bible

Numbers » Chukat

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

	First Reading, Second Reading, Third Reading, Fourth Reading, Fifth Reading, Sixth Reading, Seventh Reading, Last Reading
	First Reading, Second Reading, Third Reading, Fourth Reading, Fifth Reading, Sixth Reading, Seventh Reading, Last Reading

Chukat

Back

Forward

21:7

21:8

21:7	The people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned by speaking against God and you. Pray to God, and have Him take the snakes away from us.' When Moses prayed for the people, Vayavo ha'am el-Moshe vayomeru chatanu ki-dibarnu v'Adonay vavach hitpalel el-Adonay veyaser me'aleynu et-hanachash vayitpalel Moshe be'ad ha'am.
21:8	God said to Moses, 'Make yourself [the image of] a venomous snake, and place it on a banner. Everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.' Vayomer Adonay el-Moshe aseh lecha saraf vesim oto al-nes vehayah kol-hanashuch vera'ah oto vachay.

Commentary:

The people came...
Some say that Moses went out to find out what was wrong (Lekach Tov).

shall look at it and live
They would then think of God and repent (Targum Yonathan; Rosh HaShanah 29a; Rashi). Some say that they would meditate on the copper serpent (HaKethav VeHaKabbalah). According to others, the snake would be a reminder for the people not to leave the camp (Yehudah HaChasid), or not to speak against God (Ralbag).

Notice: This computer program is protected by copyright law and international treaties. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this program, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.