Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the term "bitten" is most notably associated with the account of the fiery serpents in the wilderness during the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. This event is recorded in the Book of Numbers and serves as a significant moment of divine judgment and subsequent redemption.
Biblical Account:The primary reference to being "bitten" occurs in
Numbers 21:4-9. The Israelites, growing impatient and speaking against God and Moses, complained about their hardships and the lack of food and water. In response to their rebellion, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and many were bitten and died. The people then came to Moses, acknowledging their sin and asking for deliverance from the serpents. Moses prayed for the people, and God instructed him to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live. This account is captured in the Berean Standard Bible as follows:
"Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD to take the snakes away from us.' So Moses interceded for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.' So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever a snake bit someone, he looked at the bronze snake and lived." (
Numbers 21:6-9)
Theological Significance:The incident of the fiery serpents and the bronze serpent holds deep theological significance. It illustrates the consequences of sin and the necessity of repentance and faith for salvation. The serpents represent the judgment of God upon a rebellious people, while the bronze serpent symbolizes God's provision for healing and life. This event foreshadows the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, as referenced in the New Testament.
In
John 3:14-15, Jesus draws a parallel between the bronze serpent and His own crucifixion: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." Here, Jesus indicates that just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent, so too are believers granted eternal life by looking to Him in faith.
Symbolism and Typology:The act of being bitten by the serpents serves as a typological representation of the sting of sin and death. The bronze serpent, lifted up for all to see, becomes a symbol of Christ's atoning sacrifice. The lifting up of the serpent on a pole prefigures the crucifixion, where Christ was lifted up on the cross to provide salvation for all who would believe in Him.
Moral and Spiritual Lessons:The narrative of the fiery serpents teaches several moral and spiritual lessons. It underscores the seriousness of sin and the importance of obedience to God. It also highlights God's mercy and grace, as He provides a means of salvation even in the midst of judgment. The Israelites' experience serves as a reminder of the need for repentance and the power of intercessory prayer.
In summary, the concept of being "bitten" in the biblical narrative is a powerful illustration of the human condition, divine judgment, and the hope of redemption through faith. The account of the fiery serpents and the bronze serpent continues to resonate as a profound testament to God's justice and mercy.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
p. p.) of Bite.
2. (p. p) of Bite.
3. (a.) Terminating abruptly, as if bitten off; premorse.
Strong's Hebrew
7457. raeb -- hungry... hunger
bitten, hungry. From ra'eb; hungry (more or less intensely) -- hunger
bitten,
hungry. see HEBREW ra'eb. 7456, 7457. raeb. 7458 . Strong's Numbers.
5391a. nashak -- to bite
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to bite NASB Word Usage bit (2), bite (4), bites
(4),bitten (1), creditors (1). 5391, 5391a. nashak. 5391b ....
Library
NunBitten Wir Den Heiligen Geist. Now Pray we all God, the...
... XIX. Nunbitten wir den heiligen Geist. Now pray we all God, the Comforter. The
first stanza from an ancient German hymn. The other stanzas added by Luther....
Whether Limbo is the Same as the Hell of the Damned?
... For Christ is said to have "bitten" [*Allusion to Osee 13:14] hell, but not to
have swallowed it, because He took some from thence but not all....
The Poison and the Antidote
... 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 isbitten, when he...
Why they Call Themselves Perat??; their Theory of Generation...
... To those, then, he says, who of the children of Israel werebitten in the wilderness,
Moses exhibited the real and perfect serpent; and they who believed on...
Luther's Small Catechism. AD 1529.
... children, so that we may. Zuversicht ihnbitten sollen, wie die lieben Kinder
ihren lieben Vater. cheerfully and with all confidence...
Psalm LXXIV.
... If death is from the serpent, the rod in the serpent is Christ in death. [3326]
Therefore also when by serpents in the desert they were beingbitten and being...
The Beatific vision. (Continued. )
... It is said that persons who have beenbitten by a viper, and who have nevertheless
recovered by the application of timely remedies, are never again the same in...
In what Sense He who Hangs on a Tree is Cursed.
... earth should be made, and yet who caused the brazen serpent to be made by Moses
in the wilderness, and set it up for a sign by which thosebitten by serpents...
The Saviour Lifted Up, and the Look of Faith.
... 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 isbitten, when he looketh upon...
The Gaze of the Soul
... commanded Moses to make a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole in sight of all
the people, "and it shall come to pass, that everyone that isbitten, when he...
Thesaurus
Bitten (6 Occurrences)... 1. (pp) of Bite. 2. (p. p) of Bite. 3. (a.) Terminating abruptly, as if
bitten off; premorse. Multi-Version Concordance
Bitten (6 Occurrences).
...Ensign (21 Occurrences)
... Numbers 21:8 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Make for thee a burning 'serpent', and
set it on an ensign; and it hath been, every one who isbitten and hath seen...
Pole (21 Occurrences)
... Numbers 21:8 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 isbitten, when he...
Cockatrice (3 Occurrences)
... which the cockatrice could not wither." The real ichneumon does kill the most deadly
snakes, and has been supposed to resort to a vegetable antidote whenbitten...
Standard (42 Occurrences)
... Numbers 21:8 Yahweh said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard:
and it shall happen, that everyone who isbitten, when he sees it, shall...
Bit (46 Occurrences)
... 4. (v.) imp. & pp of Bite. 5. (n.) A part of anything, such as may bebitten
off or taken into the mouth; a morsel; a bite. Hence...
Hunger-bitten (1 Occurrence)
Hunger-bitten. Hungerbitten, Hunger-bitten. Hungered . Noah Webster's
Dictionary... Multi-Version Concordance Hunger-bitten (1 Occurrence)....
Looks (76 Occurrences)
... Numbers 21:8 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 isbitten, when he...
Leans (7 Occurrences)
... from the face of the lion, And the bear hath met him, And he hath come in to the
house, And hath leant his hand on the wall, And the serpent hathbitten him....
Leant (7 Occurrences)
... from the face of the lion, And the bear hath met him, And he hath come in to the
house, And hath leant his hand on the wall, And the serpent hathbitten him....
Resources
What was Nehushtan? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about snake handling? Should we be handling snakes in church? | GotQuestions.orgIs it true that fear is a liar? | GotQuestions.orgBitten: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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