The Mystery Nechushtan

After all, it had been fashioned by Moses himself a half millennium earlier—and for good purpose.

In the Biblical passage that tells us what Hezekiah did, we learn of several other things the late-eighth century B.C.E. king destroyed: “He abolished the high places (or shrines; Hebrew bamot) and smashed the pillars (or sacred pillars; Hebrew matzevot) and cut down the sacred pole (or post; Hebrew asherah). He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent (Nechushtan)” (2 Kings 18:4).

All but the Nechushtan (which is simply Hebrew for “serpent” or “snake”) are quite understandable, especially in terms of Hezekiah’s well-known religious reform aimed at centralizing worship in the Jerusalem Temple. But the Nechushtan? What is it doing here?