*Sacred Scripture* The Brazen Serpent of Moses – Giaquinto

Moses points to the brazen serpent on a stick, an image of Christ on the Cross, telling the people to look upon the image in order to be healed. The episode of the Israelites being saved from sickness in the desert is recounted in Numbers 21:6-9. Artwork by C. Giaquinto

Nm 21:6-9

The Bronze Serpent.

4From Mount Hor they set out by way of the Red Sea, to bypass the land of Edom, but the people’s patience was worn out by the journey;

5so the people complained^d against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”^*

6So the LORD sent among the people seraph^* serpents, which bit^e the people so that many of the Israelites died.

7Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray to the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people,

8and the LORD said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover.^*

9Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent^* and mounted it on a pole, and whenever the serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered.^f

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/numbers/21