Editing Nehushtan (section)

==Rabbinic literature==
[[File:Monument of the bronze serpent erected by Moses.jpg|thumb|A modern monument of the bronze serpent (which Moses erected in the [[Negev]] desert) on [[Mount Nebo]], in front of the church of Saint Moses (2018).]]
Inasmuch as the serpent in the [[Talmud]] stands for such evils as talebearing and defamation of character (Genesis 3:4–5), the [[Midrash]] finds in the plague of the fiery serpents a punishment for sins of the [[Lashon Hara|evil tongue]] (Numbers 21:5). God said: "Let the serpent who was the first to offend by 'evil tongue' inflict punishment on those who were guilty of the same sin and did not profit by the serpent's example".

One of the complaints in this case was dissatisfaction with the [[manna]]. Whereas the manna is said to have had any taste desired by the person eating it (Shemot Rabbah 25:3), to the serpent all things had the taste of dust, in accordance with the words: "And dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" (Genesis 3:14). It was very appropriate, therefore, that they who loathed the food which had given any taste desired, should be punished by means of that creature to which everything has the same taste (Tan., ed. Buber, Ḥuḳḳat, xlv. [337]; Midrash R. Num. xix. 22). The [[Mishnah]] does not take literally the words "Every one who was bitten by a serpent would look at the serpent and live", but interprets them symbolically. The people should look up to the God of heaven, for it is not the serpent that either brings to life or puts to death, but it is God (Mishnah R. H. 3:8, B. Talmud R.H. 29a). In the course of time, however, the people lost sight of the symbolical meaning and regarded the serpent itself as the seat of the healing power, and they made it an object of worship, so that Hezekiah found it necessary to destroy it ([[2 Kings 18:4]]; see also Ber. 10a).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3660-brazen-serpent|title=Brazen Serpent |website=jewishencyclopedia.com|access-date=Sep 9, 2019}}</ref>

The question that puzzled [[Heinrich Ewald]] ("Gesch. des Volkes Israel," iii. 669, note 5) and others, "Where was the brazen serpent till the time of Hezekiah?" occupied the Talmudists also. They answered it in a very simple way: Asa and Joshaphat, when clearing away the idols, purposely left the brazen serpent behind, in order that Hezekiah might also be able to do a praiseworthy deed in breaking it (Ḥul. 6b).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7668-hezekiah#anchor4|title=Hezekiah |website=jewishencyclopedia.com|access-date=Sep 9, 2019}}</ref>