Bible Encyclopedia: Nehushtan

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

NEHUSHTAN

ne-hush'-tan (nechushtan; compare nechosheth, "brass," and nachash, "serpent"):

1. Traditional Interpretation:

The word occurs but once, namely, in 2 Kings 18:4. In the account there given of the reforms carried out by Hezekiah, it is said that "he brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan." According to the Revised Version margin the word means "a piece of brass." If this be correct, the sense of the passage is that Hezekiah not only breaks the brazen serpent in pieces but, suiting the word to the act, scornfully calls it "a (mere) piece of brass." Hezekiah thus takes his place as a true reformer, and as a champion of the purification of the religion of Israel. This is the traditional interpretation of the passage, and fairly represents the Hebrew text as it now stands.

2. Derivation: A Proper Noun:

There are at least three considerations, however, which throw doubt upon this interpretation. In the first place, the word Nehushtan is not a common noun, and cannot mean simply "a piece of brass." The point of the Biblical statement is entirely lost by such a construction. It is emphatically a proper noun, and is the special name given to this particular brazen serpent. As such it would be sacred to all worshippers of the brazen serpent, and familiar to all who frequented the Temple. In the second place, it is probable that Nehushtan is to be derived from nachash, "serpent," rather than from nechosheth, "brass,"

(1) because the Greek VSS, representing a form of the Hebrew text earlier than Massoretic Text, suggest this in their transliteration of Nehushtan (Codex Vaticanus Nesthalei; Codex Alexandrinus Nesthan);

(2) because the Hebrew offers a natural derivation of Nehushtan from nachash, "serpent"; and

(3) because the name of the image would more probably be based on its form than on the material out of which it was made. In the third place, the reading, "and it was called," which appears in the Revised Version margin, is decidedly preferable to that in the text. It not only represents the best reading of the Hebrew, but is confirmed by the similar reading, "and they called it," which appears in the Greek version referred to above. These readings agree in their indication that Nehushtan was the name by which the serpent-image was generally known during the years it was worshipped, rather than an expression used for the first time by Hezekiah on the occasion of its destruction.

Whichever derivation be adopted, however, the word must be construed as a proper name. If it be derived from "brass," then the translation must be, not "a piece of brass," but "The (great) Brass," giving the word a special sense by which it refers unequivocally to the well-known image made of brass. If it be derived from "serpent," then the translation must be, "The (great) Serpent," the word in this case referring in a special sense to the well-known image in serpent form. But the significance of the word probably lies far back of any etymological explanation of it that can now be given. It is not a term that can be adequately explained by reference to verbal roots, but is rather an epitome of the reverence of those who, however mistakenly, looked upon the brazen serpent as a proper object of worship.

In view of the foregoing it may be concluded,

(1) that Nehushtan was the (sacred) name by which the brazen serpent was known during the years "the children of Israel did burn incense to it";

(2) that the word is derived from nachash, "serpent"; and

(3) that it was used in the sense of "The Serpent," paragraph excellence.

See IMAGES, 6, (2); SERPENT, FIERY.

Lindsay B. Longacre

Strong's Hebrew

5180. Nechushtan -- the name of Moses' bronze serpent
... Nechushtan. 5181 . the name of Moses' bronze serpent. Transliteration: Nechushtan
Phonetic Spelling: (nekh-oosh-tawn') Short Definition: Nehushtan. ... Nehushtan. ...
/hebrew/5180.htm - 6k

Library

Sundry Objections or Excuses Dealt With.
... The Nehushtan of King Hezekiah teaches us the "peril of Idolatry" (2 Kings 18:4)
and that even a divine symbol may be destroyed justly if it be turned to a ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on idolatry/chapter v name objections or.htm

The Second Commandment
... to be set up, when Israel looked upon it with too much reverence, and began to burn
incense to it, Hezekiah defaced, and called it Nehushtan, mere brass; and ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 2 the second commandment.htm

The Axe at the Root --A Testimony against Puseyite Idolatry
... When at one time it was thought that the miraculous powers of the brazen serpent
entitled it to worship, Hezekiah called it Nehushtan, that is, a piece of brass ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 12 1866/the axe at the roota.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... the temple, and which they had connected with the worship of Jahveh, and in his
zeal even destroyed the ancient brazen serpent, the Nehushtan, the origin of ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Nehushtan

a trifling thing of brass

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Nehushtan

(a thing of brass), the name by which the brazen serpent made by Moses in the wilderness, (Numbers 21:9) was worshipped in the time of Hezekiah. (2 Kings 18:4) It is evident that our translators by their rendering "and he called it Nehushtan" understood that the subject of the sentence is Hezekiah and that when he destroyed the brazen serpent he gave it the name Nehushtan "a brazen thing" in token of his utter contempt. But it is better to understand the Hebrew as referring to the name by which the serpent was generally known, the subject of the verb being indefinite-- "and one called it Nehushtan."

ATS Bible Dictionary

Nehushtan

Brazen, a name given by Hezekiah king of Judah to the brazen serpent that Moses had set upon the wilderness, Numbers 21:8, and which had been preserved by the Israelites to that time. The superstitious people having made an idol of this serpent, Hezekiah caused it to be burned, and in derision have it the name of Nehushtan, a mere piece of brass, 2 Kings 18:4. Memorials, relics, and other outward aids to devotion which men rely upon, have the opposite effect; and visible emblem hides the Savior it ought to reveal, John 3:14-16.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Of copper; a brazen thing a name of contempt given to the serpent Moses had made in the wilderness (Numbers 21:8), and which Hezekiah destroyed because the children of Israel began to regard it as an idol and "burn incense to it." The lapse of nearly one thousand years had invested the "brazen serpent" with a mysterious sanctity; and in order to deliver the people from their infatuation, and impress them with the idea of its worthlessness, Hezekiah called it, in contempt, "Nehushtan," a brazen thing, a mere piece of brass (2 Kings 18:4).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) A thing of brass; -- the name under which the Israelites worshiped the brazen serpent made by Moses.

Thesaurus

Nehushtan (1 Occurrence)
... order to deliver the people from their infatuation, and impress them with the idea
of its worthlessness, Hezekiah called it, in contempt, "Nehushtan," a brazen ...
/n/nehushtan.htm - 11k

Brazen (42 Occurrences)
... See SEA, THE MOLTEN. BRAZEN SERPENT. See NEHUSHTAN. SEA, BRAZEN. ... SERPENT, BRAZEN.
bra'-z'-n. See NEHUSHTAN. Multi-Version Concordance Brazen (42 Occurrences). ...
/b/brazen.htm - 25k

Nehush'tan (1 Occurrence)
Nehush'tan. Nehushtan, Nehush'tan. Neiel . Multi-Version Concordance
Nehush'tan (1 Occurrence). ... (See RSV). Nehushtan, Nehush'tan. Neiel . Reference
/n/nehush'tan.htm - 6k

Worship (332 Occurrences)
... serpent, which Hezekiah is recorded to have destroyed as leading to idolatry, (2
Kings 18:4). "In that case," says HP Smith, "we must treat the Nehushtan as a ...
/w/worship.htm - 66k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... a) (1 Samuel 11:1 2 Samuel 10:2), (b) (2 Samuel 17:27), (c) (2 Samuel 17:25); also
nechosheth, "copper" or "brass"; and nechushtan, "Nehushtan," the brazen ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Nehush'ta (1 Occurrence)
Nehush'ta. Nehushta, Nehush'ta. Nehushtan . Multi-Version Concordance
Nehush'ta (1 Occurrence). ... (See RSV). Nehushta, Nehush'ta. Nehushtan . Reference
/n/nehush'ta.htm - 6k

Groves (32 Occurrences)
... and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days
the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. ...
/g/groves.htm - 16k

Powder (14 Occurrences)
... had made was crushed to powder at his order, because in those days the children
of Israel had offerings burned before it, and he gave it the name Nehushtan. ...
/p/powder.htm - 12k

Columns (17 Occurrences)
... and broke in pieces the serpent of brass that Moses had made; for to those days
the children of Israel burned incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (DBY). ...
/c/columns.htm - 11k

Asherahs (23 Occurrences)
... and broke in pieces the serpent of brass that Moses had made; for to those days
the children of Israel burned incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (DBY). ...
/a/asherahs.htm - 13k

Bible Concordance

Nehushtan (1 Occurrence)

2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah: and he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for to those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Nehushtan

Nehushtan: The Brass (Bronze) Serpent

Related Terms

Brazen (42 Occurrences)

Nehush'tan (1 Occurrence)

Worship (332 Occurrences)

Serpent (40 Occurrences)

Nehush'ta (1 Occurrence)

Groves (32 Occurrences)

Powder (14 Occurrences)

Columns (17 Occurrences)