NEHUSHTAN (Bronze Snake). Symbolizes the 'Copper Snake' that Moses used to cure the Israelites from snake bites (Numbers 21:4-9).

"4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived" (Numbers 21:4-9).

Looks like Nehushtan gradually became a cult object. Once again it appears in the Old Testament, when King Hezekiah (715-687 AD) destroyed them during his religious reformations (2 Kings 18:4). In New Testament, Jesus compares himself to Nehushtan "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14-15). Several bronze snakes are excavated from different parts of Israel. Here are a few displayed in the Nehustan Pavilion of Eretz Israel Museum of Tel Aviv.