Numbers 21 7

Numbers 21:7 kjv

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.

Numbers 21:7 nkjv

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21:7 niv

The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21:7 esv

And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21:7 nlt

Then the people came to Moses and cried out, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes." So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21 verses

Numbers 21 7 Meaning

Numbers 21:7 depicts a pivotal moment where the Israelites, having endured a divine judgment of venomous serpents due to their rebellious grumbling, finally confess their sin to Moses and ask him to intercede with the LORD on their behalf for deliverance. It marks their first explicit confession of sin in this particular crisis, acknowledging their words against both God and His appointed leader, Moses, as an offense deserving of their suffering.

Numbers 21 7 Context

Numbers 21:7 is situated within a tumultuous period of Israel's wilderness wanderings. After a lengthy stay at Kadesh, the Israelites resume their journey towards the Promised Land, bypassing Edom, encountering King Arad (Numbers 21:1-3), and then taking a long detour around Edom, which discourages them. This leads to renewed complaining (murmuring) against God and Moses for their "worthless food" (manna) and the difficult journey. As a result, God sends "fiery serpents" (likely venomous snakes, seraphim referring to their burning bite or fiery color) among the people, causing many deaths. Verse 7 specifically records the people's response to this judgment. Historically, ancient Israelite culture often attributed sickness and death directly to divine judgment for sin, and their seeking out Moses as an intercessor aligns with the prophetic role established in earlier parts of the Exodus narrative. Their explicit confession of sin, while prompted by severe consequence, marks a rare moment of direct self-culpability for their rebellious words.

Numbers 21 7 Word analysis

• Then (וַיָּבֹא, wayyāḇōʾ) the people (הָעָם, hāʿām) came (וַיָּבֹא, wayyāḇōʾ) to Moses (אֶל־מֹשֶׁה, ʾel-Mōšeh) and said (וַיֹּאמְרוּ, wayyōʾmrū`):

  • Then (wayyāḇōʾ): Connects this event directly to the preceding divine judgment, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship.
  • the people (hāʿām): Refers to the collective nation of Israel, emphasizing the broad scale of the judgment and the subsequent unified confession.
  • came to Moses (ʾel-Mōšeh): Highlights Moses' established role as mediator and direct link to God, indicating their reliance on his intercession. This acknowledges his divinely appointed authority which they had just scorned.
  • and said (wayyōʾmrū): Denotes a direct, vocal utterance, signifying an explicit and open admission.

• "We have sinned (חָטָאנוּ, ḥāṭāʾnū), for we have spoken (כִּי־דִבַּרְנוּ, kî-ḏibbarnū) against the LORD (בַּיהוָה, baYahweh) and against you (וָבָךְ, vāḵ)."

  • We have sinned (ḥāṭāʾnū): A critical verb (ḥāṭāʾ), meaning "to miss the mark," "to go astray," or "to fail." This marks a genuine confession, as opposed to earlier complaints which blamed circumstances or God's provision. It is an acknowledgment of moral wrongdoing against a divine standard.
  • for we have spoken (kî-ḏibbarnū): The word dibbarnū implies deliberate, even assertive, speech. "For" (kî) clarifies the specific nature of their sin – their grumbling words were the offense. Their "words" were not mere trivial expressions but active rebellion.
  • against the LORD (baYahweh): The Hebrew preposition ba (here, baYahweh) indicates an offense against someone or something. This confession acknowledges their grumbling was ultimately a rejection of God's sovereignty, care, and covenant promises. This is the highest level of offense.
  • and against you (vāḵ): This directly addresses their transgression against Moses. By speaking "against" Moses, they were speaking against God's appointed representative, a defiance of divine authority itself.

• "Pray (הִתְפַּלֵּל, hitpallel) to the LORD (אֶל־יְהוָה, ʾel-YHWH), that He take away (וְיָסֵר, wəyāsēr) the serpents (הַנְּחָשִׁים, hannaḥāšîm) from us (מִמֶּנּוּ, mimmennū`)."

  • Pray (hitpallel): The verb hitpallel is in the Hitpael stem, which conveys a reflexive or intensive action, meaning "to intercede earnestly for oneself," or here, to intercede intensely for the people. It emphasizes a fervent and intentional act of supplication. This reflects their understanding of Moses' unique intercessory power with God.
  • to the LORD (ʾel-YHWH): A direct appeal to the covenant God for His intervention and mercy.
  • that He take away (wəyāsēr): Their specific plea for divine removal of the judgment, showing their desire for cessation of the suffering.
  • the serpents (hannaḥāšîm): Refers to the instruments of divine judgment. This highlights their direct understanding of the source of their affliction.
  • from us (mimmennū): A plea for personal relief and corporate deliverance.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you.": This phrase forms a complete confession of sin, identifying both the general state ("we have sinned") and the specific act ("we have spoken"), as well as the dual targets of their offense (God and Moses). This shows a critical shift from blaming others to accepting personal culpability.
  • "Pray to the LORD that he take away the serpents from us.": This is their earnest petition for deliverance, directly linking their confessed sin and suffering to their need for divine mercy, requested through Moses' intercession. It reflects a correct understanding that only God can remove the judgment He imposed.

Numbers 21 7 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "fiery serpents" in this account, seraphim (שְׂרָפִים), is intriguing. While here it describes a physical, venomous snake, the same word is used elsewhere in the Bible (e.g., Isa 6:2, 6) to describe angelic beings with burning qualities or fierce appearance. This connection subtly hints at the formidable and divinely ordained nature of the judgment. The fact that their suffering was from these "fiery" agents underscores the intensity and swiftness of God's holy judgment on their sin. Furthermore, the explicit confession ḥāṭāʾnū (we have sinned) distinguishes this instance from earlier complaints. While prior grumbling was a form of sin, this marks a conscious recognition of "missing the mark" against God's direct command or divine provision. It is a vital moment in Israel's spiritual development, demonstrating that even amidst persistent rebellion, a breaking point could lead to confession and, ultimately, God's grace through a provided remedy.

Numbers 21 7 Commentary

Numbers 21:7 marks a crucial turning point in the Israelite wilderness narrative, serving as a powerful demonstration of the consequence of sin and the path to deliverance through humble confession and intercession. After a history of chronic murmuring and direct verbal rebellion against God's providence and Moses' leadership, the severe judgment of the "fiery serpents" finally breaks through their hardened hearts. This confession is not merely a complaint about suffering but an explicit acknowledgment: "We have sinned." Their admission is doubly significant because it targets both God (baYahweh) and His chosen servant (wāḵ), revealing their understanding that defying Moses was equivalent to defying the LORD.

The people's plea for Moses to "Pray (hitpallel) to the LORD" underscores their awareness of Moses' unique covenant relationship with God as their mediator and intercessor. It reveals their understanding that their own sinful state disqualified them from direct access for such a request, necessitating Moses' priestly role. God's immediate response to Moses' intercession (in the subsequent verses) illustrates divine justice—that sin demands punishment—yet also divine mercy—that genuine repentance, though often born of duress, can open the door to grace. This specific event sets the stage for the miraculous provision of the bronze serpent, which stands as a powerful prefigurement of Christ's salvific work on the cross (John 3:14-15), where healing and life are granted not by deeds, but by faith in the One "lifted up" as the solution to humanity's deadly sin.

Examples:

• For corporate sin: A church congregation openly confessing areas of division or worldliness after a period of struggle.
• For acknowledging authority: Employees apologizing to a manager they openly criticized, recognizing their actions undermined authority.
• For genuine confession leading to healing: An individual admitting to harmful patterns of behavior after facing painful consequences, seeking spiritual guidance for change.