Nehushtan

nḗ-hush ́tan (נהשׁתּן, neḥushtān; compare נחשׁת, neḥōsheth, “brass,” and נחשׁ, nāḥāsh, “serpent”):

The word occurs but once, namely, in 2 Kings 18:4. In the account there given of the reforms carried out by Hezekiah, it is said that “he brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.” According to the Revised Version margin the word means “a piece of brass.” If this be correct, the sense of the passage is that Hezekiah not only breaks the brazen serpent in pieces but, suiting the word to the act, scornfully calls it “a (mere) piece of brass.” Hezekiah thus takes his place as a true reformer, and as a champion of the purification of the religion of Israel. This is the traditional interpretation of the passage, and fairly represents the Hebrew text as it now stands.

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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia

Keywords: Nehushtan, Serpent, Bronze serpent, Brazen serpent, Brass serpent, Crucified serpent, Fiery serpents

Bible reference(s): 2 Kings 18:4, Numbers 21:9

Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.

Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.