Priest. Some time later, the Israelites, tired[1] of their incessant wanderings in the desert, began to murmur against the Lord and Moses. Wherefore fiery serpents[2] were sent amongst them, by whose deadly bite a great number were killed[3].
Then the people, knowing that the serpents had been sent in punishment of their sins, came to Moses and said: “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that He may take away these serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people. Whereupon the Lord said to him: “Make a brazen serpent, and set it up[4] for a sign: whosoever, being struck, shall look on it, shall live.” Moses, therefore, made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign[5] which healed all those that looked upon it.
COMMENTARY.
The Justice, Mercy and Omnipotence of God are all shown in this story. — God punished both the doubt of Moses and the murmuring of the people: but He gave the ungrateful Israelites water, listened to Moses’ prayer for them, and healed them from the bites of the snakes. By His almighty power He called forth the water from the rock; and, through one glance cast at the brazen serpent, He restored the dying to life and health.
Murmuring against God is a great sin, as we can learn by the severe punishment which it brought on the murmuring Israelites. We must submit humbly to the will of our God and Creator, and never resist or murmur against Him and His divine decrees.
The use of sufferings. Whenever God visited the Israelites with sufferings, they acknowledged their grievous sins and repented.
Temperance. The sensuality of the Israelites was the cause of all their grumbling. They craved for other food than that which God fed them on, and refused to put up with any hardship. Instead of subduing
- ↑ Tired. To avoid the territory of the Edomites, the children of Israel had to turn towards the south, and then again return northwards along the eastern side of Edom (see map). All this time they had nothing to eat except manna, and they craved for other food.
- ↑ Fiery serpents. These were poisonous snakes. They were covered with fiery red spots and stripes, and the wound of their bite burnt like fire, and caused a deadly inflammation.
- ↑ Killed. The poisonous reptiles lurked round the camp and crept into the tents. The whole camp resounded with the cries of the sick, and the moans of the dying. The people now saw how much they had sinned.
- ↑ Set it up. On a pole.
- ↑ A sign. Of salvation.
