Enigma Of Nehushtan – The Biblical Copper Snake

David Tee - AncientPages.com - During their desert wandering, the people of Israel became discontented and started to complain. They complained so much that God's patience was worn thin. In response to their complaint, God decided to teach them a lesson instead of making the people's lot better.

The Brazen Serpent (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot) Credit: Public Domain

As punishment, God sent snakes to torment his people when they realized their sin's gravity. They repented. When God saw their repentance, he had mercy on them and instructed Moses to construct a copper snake. To be healed, all those who had been bitten had to do was look at the copper snake. See Numbers 21 for the complete details.

What Was The Nehushtan?

In its original form, the Nehushtan was a simple snake-like form made from copper. It was placed on a pole for all the people to have a clear view of it when real snakes bite them.

There is no mention in the Bible that it was destroyed after God relieved the Hebrews of their infliction. It means that it is possible that the copper snake stayed in existence until the time of Hezekiah.

When Hezekiah became king, the copper snake was seen as a god. Who made it a god is unknown, as there were many kings between David and Hezekiah who strayed from the ways of God. Anyone could have created a cult following using the snake as their leader.

The Symbolism Of The Nehushtan

If any natural symbolism is placed on the Nehushtan, it was done by different societies and is not biblical. Some scholars compare the raising of the copper snake in the Hebrew camp to something on par with voodoo practices.

There have been non-Israelite temples dedicated to the Nehushtan or have the snake symbol as part of their religious artifacts. The Midianites are one example, as one was found in the temple dedicated to Hathor in the Timna Valley.

In 1508 Michelangelo's image of the Israelites deliverance from the plague of serpents by the creation of the bronze serpent on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Credit: Public Domain

Snakes on staff have long been a symbol of the medical profession dating back to the ancient Greeks. This nation held snakes as sacred and often used them in healing rituals. Thus, it seems natural for them to place the snake as their medical symbol.

Of course, this action came long after the Old Testament account, as the Greeks did not invade Palestine till the time of Alexander. It is possible that the Greeks heard the wandering version and liked what they heard. They then adopted the snake into their healing practices.

The Hebrews And The Nehushtan

Modern Israelites do not think much of the Nehushtan. They seem to keep it in its context and think it is an ancient tale and religious cult. Why the symbol was not used in the Bible again is not known.

There is nothing unusual with God using only one type of miracle once. Jesus only turned water into wine once. While it was used only once in the Bible as a miraculous symbol, the copper snake was mentioned several times in later books.

The mother of King Jehoiakim was given a name similar to Nehushtan, and Jesus referred to it in John 3. Jesus illustrated his upcoming sacrifice by using Moses' event as an example.

As time goes on, the original intent of certain symbols becomes distorted. Legends and myths are added to the beginning of different characters, and some individuals take advantage f this. They capture people using their ignorance of the truth when they elevate a symbol to divine power or presence.

The copper snake was no exception. Hezekiah destroyed the copper snake because of this elevation to god status.

Archaeology And The Nehushtan

Excavators have found several copper snake icons throughout Israel and Mesopotamia. These artifacts date mainly to the Bronze Age. However, no ancient manuscript describes how the copper snake transitioned from a medical miracle to a cult object.

Many theories abound on this topic, with one stating that the Hebrews took the symbol from the Canaanite religion.

Written by – David Tee AncientPages.com Staff Writer

Updated on  January 27, 2023

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