Serpents en Nm 21,4-9 i en 2Re 18,4 (Saraf, nahaix, nehaix nehoixet, Nehuixtan)

The episode of the serpent of bronze (Num. 21.4-9) belongs to the moraltheologicalframework of the journey through the desert in Numbers 11–21,characterised by the grumbling of the people and the divine punishments.The Sinai covenant marks a before and an after in the exodus of Israel: whatbefore was a fault now becomes a sin that merits punishment. The mediationof Moses and Aaron are the key for understanding these chapters where theirattitude and behaviour will calm or intensify the divine wrath. The account ofthe serpent of bronze underlines the need for Moses’ mediation that was createdby the serpent and that leads to healing from the snake bites. The Hebrewversion of the story and its complement in 2 Kgs 18.4 suggest that there wasserpent worship in Israel which, after the reform of Hezekiah, appears to havebeen forgotten from what can be gleaned from the Greek and Aramaic translationsof the story as well as other biblical and extra-biblical citations (Chronicles,Wisdom, Philo, Paul and John). Finally, a consideration of the serpenticonography of the ancient near-East demonstrates how the raised position ofthe serpents is important for an understanding of these stories.