The Episode of the Bronze Serpent (Num 21:4-9): Exegesis, Topography and Archaeology

The episode of the bronze serpent in Num 21:4-9, because of its exegetical difficulties, is mainly considered as an etiological and/or symbolic narrative. In this article, topographical and archaeological considerations broaden the interpretational framework, providing a new exegetical line for the reading of the episode. The analysis of the complex interaction between Elohim, Yahweh, Moses and the people unfolds in four inconsistences played out with the terms 'seraph serpents', 'seraph', 'serpent of bronze', and 'serpent', and is followed by the inter-textual study of these words and of the symbolism of the serpent in the Old Testament. The episode is then considered in the framework of the literary and theological contexts of Numbers, focusing on the location marks mentioned in the narrative of the journey between Kadesh and the Stay in Moab. As the geographical indications point to the Arabah region as the background of the episode, the results of the archaeological and geological investigations carried out in the main sites of this area are considered. Finally, six biblical and extra-biblical arguments identify the Faynan area as the topographical framework, which best fits the narrative of the episode. This physical context provides the scene and setting of a real-life situation, and sheds light on the theological and symbolic depth of the biblical episode.