The Bronze Serpent

Hand colored stencil print on washi by Sadao Watanabe (1979).

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe. For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

The following artwork is part of a series of 56 paintings on biblical themes by Kazakh artist Nelly Bube (born 1949):

Copyright by Norwegian Bible Society , used with permission. For other images of Nelly Bube in TIPs, see here.

The following is a stained glass window from the Three choir windows in the Marienkirche, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, of the 14th century:

Source: Der gläserne Schatz: Die Bilderbibel der St. Marienkirche in Frankfurt (Oder), Neuer Berlin Verlag, 2005, copyright for this image: Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

See also other stained glass windows from the Marienkirche in Frankfurt.

complete verse (Numbers 21:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 21:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then God answered Moses, ‘Make/Prepare something like a snake and nail it on a post. If there is a person whom a snake has bit, he shall become well if he looks at that thing on the post.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The LORD said to Moses, "You are to make an image of a serpent and hang it on a pole. By looking at it, people who have been bitten by a serpent will live."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The LORD said to Moises, ‘[You (sing.)] make a bronze snake and put it on the end/tip of a pole. Anyone who was-bitten by the snake will- just -look-at this bronze snake and he/she will- not -die.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Yahweh told him/me, ‘Make a model/image of a poisonous snake, and attach it to the top of a pole. If those who are bitten by the snakes look at that model, they will recover/get well.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 21:8

Verses 8-9 lie at the basis of John 3.14-15. Like the bronze snake, Jesus, the Son of Man, had to be lifted for the salvation of people about to die.

And the LORD said to Moses: This quote frame introduces God’s positive response to Moses’ prayer. The generic verb said may be rendered “answered” (Contemporary English Version). Good News Translation uses indirect speech here, which is a less emphatic way of communication in most languages. Translators should use direct speech, unless there is a good reason for following the Good News Translation model.

Make a fiery serpent: Fiery serpent renders the same Hebrew word translated “fiery” in verse 6 (see the comments there), so it is literally only “fiery one.” But it corresponds with the “bronze serpent” in verse 9, so Revised Standard Version adds the implied idea of serpent for clarity. In some languages to avoid confusion, it may be necessary to qualify the nature of this fiery serpent that God commands Moses to make; for example, Good News Translation says “metal snake,” and New Living Translation has “replica of a poisonous snake.” Another possible model is “image/likeness of a poisonous snake.” Contemporary English Version follows some Septuagint manuscripts and the next verse by saying “snake out of bronze,” which some languages may prefer for naturalness.

And set it on a pole: This simple text may allow for a number of different options in translation, depending on how the bronze snake is set, that is, “attached” or “fastened,” on a pole. Translators must try to visualize this scene and use the most appropriate terms available in their language. The pole, which undoubtedly was made of wood, had to be high enough for many people to see at once.

And every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live: God says the people who deliberately look at the bronze snake after poisonous snakes bite them will survive. In some languages a specific verb may be needed for sees to express that this action is deliberate, for example, Chewa has “gaze upon.” New Living Translation renders this sentence as “All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .