Editing Nehushtan (section)

==Serpent image==
[[Snake worship|Snake cults]] had been well established in [[Canaan]] in the [[Bronze Age]]: archaeologists have uncovered serpent [[cult object]]s in Bronze Age strata at several pre-Israelite cities in Canaan: two at [[Tel Megiddo|Megiddo]],<ref>Gordon Loud, ''Megiddo II: Plates'' plate 240: 1, 4, from Stratum X (dated by Loud 1650–1550 BC) and Statum VIIB (dated 1250–1150 BC), noted by Joines 1968:245f.</ref> one at [[Gezer]],<ref>R.A.S. Macalister, ''Gezer II'', p. 399, fig. 488, noted by Joines 1968:245 note 3, from the high place area, dated Late Bronze Age.</ref> one in the [[sanctuary]] of the Area H temple at [[Tel Hazor]]<ref>Yigael Yadin et al. ''Hazor III-IV: Plates'', pl. 339, 5, 6, dated Late Bronze Age II (Yadiin to Joines, in Joines 1968: 245 note 4).</ref> and two at [[Shechem]].<ref>Callaway and Toombs to Joines (Joines 1968: 246 note 5).</ref> Cultic serpent imagery was not isolated to Canaan. It appeared in surrounding areas, including the [[Esagila]] or temple of [[Marduk]] as [[tutelary deity]] in [[Babylon]], where pairs of bronze serpents were erected beside each entrance to the temple. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Joines |first=Karen Randolp |date=1968-09-01 |title=The Bronze Serpent in the Israelite Cult |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3263536 |journal=Journal of Biblical Literature |language=en |volume=87 |issue=3 |pages=245–256 |doi=10.2307/3263536 |jstor=3263536 |issn=0021-9231}}</ref>

According to Lowell K. Handy, the Nehushtan may have been the symbol of a deity for [[snakebite]] cure within the [[Temple in Jerusalem]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bua2dMa9fJ4C&q=The+crisis+of+Israelite+religion:+transformation+of+religious+tradition|title=The Triumph of Elohim: From Yahwisms to Judaisms|first=D. V.|last=Edelman|date=1995|publisher=Peeters Publishers|isbn=9789039001240|access-date=Sep 9, 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref>