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Scott's Reference Library
Numbers 21:4 through Numbers 21:9 (NIV)
4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around
Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5they spoke against God and
against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the
desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable
food!”
6Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many
Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke
against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away
from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is
bitten can look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on
a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake,
he lived.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 4-9
The children of Israel were wearied by a long march round the land of Edom. They
speak discontentedly of what God had done for them, and distrustfully of what he
would do. What will they be pleased with, whom manna will not please? Let not
the contempt which some cast on the word of God, make us value it less. It is
the bread of life, substantial bread, and will nourish those who by faith feed
upon it, to eternal life, whoever may call it light bread. We see the righteous
judgment God brought upon them for murmuring. He sent fiery serpents among them,
which bit or stung many to death. It is to be feared that they would not have
owned the sin, if they had not felt the smart; but they relent under the rod.
And God made a wonderful provision for their relief. The Jews themselves say it
was not the sight of the brazen serpent that cured; but in looking up to it,
they looked up to God as the Lord that healed them. There was much gospel in
this. Our Saviour declared, John 3:14, 15, that as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whatsoever
believeth in him, should not perish. Compare their disease and ours. Sin bites
like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Compare the application of their
remedy and ours. They looked and lived, and we, if we believe, shall not perish.
It is by faith that we look unto Jesus, Hebrews 12:2. Whosoever looked, however
desperate his case, or feeble his sight, or distant his place, was certainly and
perfectly cured. The Lord can relieve us from dangers and distresses, by means
which human reason never would have devised. Oh that the venom of the old
serpent, inflaming men’s passions, and causing them to commit sins which end in
their eternal destruction, were as sensibly felt, and the danger as plainly
seen, as the Israelites felt pain from the bite of the fiery serpents, and
feared the death which followed! Then none would shut their eyes to Christ, or
turn from his gospel. Then a crucified Saviour would be so valued, that all
things else would be accounted loss for him; then, without delay, and with
earnestness and simplicity, all would apply to him in the appointed way, crying,
Lord, save us; we perish! Nor would any abuse the freeness of Christ’s
salvation, while they reckoned the price which it cost him.