Numbers 21:1–9

Victory over the Canaanites

21^*When the Canaanite king of Arad in the southern part of Canaan heard that the Israelites were coming by way of Atharim, he attacked them and captured some of them. ²Then the Israelites made a vow to the Lord: “If you will let us conquer these people, we will unconditionally dedicate^r them and their cities to you and will destroy them.” ³The Lord heard them and helped them to conquer the Canaanites. So the Israelites completely destroyed them and their cities, and named the place Hormah.^s

The Snake Made of Bronze

^4*The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go round the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience ^5*and spoke against God and Moses. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can’t stand any more of this miserable food!” ^6*Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Now pray to the Lord to take these snakes away.” So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸Then the Lord told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. ^9*So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed.