נְחֻשְׁתָּן
𐤍𐤇𐤔𐤕𐤍
Nechushetan
H5180 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring specifically to the copper (bronze) serpent that Moses made for the Israelites in the wilderness, later preserved in the Jerusalem Temple and eventually destroyed by King Hezekiah. The name carries both a literal meaning ('bronze thing' or 'bronze piece') and functions as a personified or derisive designation for the cult object itself. The semantic range includes both the physical object (the bronze serpent) and its designation as a foreign or improper cultic symbol by later generations.
Semantic Range
the bronze serpent crafted by Moses; a cult object preserved in the Temple; a pejorative reference to an object of cultic veneration; any 'bronze thing' (particularly in a derisive sense)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נ-ח-ש (נחש) meaning 'bronze, copper'. The form נְחֻשְׁתָּן incorporates a nominal ending that likely has an augmentative or pejorative nuance, giving the sense of 'made of bronze' or 'bronze thing'. The name itself is formed from the word for bronze/copper, emphasizing its material composition rather than any inherent sacredness.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נְחֻשְׁתָּן (Nᵉchushtân) appears only in 2 Kings 18:4, where it is named as the object that Hezekiah destroys as part of his reforms to purge Israelite religious practices of idolatrous or improper elements. Originally crafted by Moses (Numbers 21:8–9) as a means of healing Israelites bitten by serpents, the object later became a focus of veneration, with offerings of incense, suggesting a shift in its religious significance over centuries. Hezekiah's labeling of it as Nechushtan ('just a piece of bronze') minimizes its sanctity and underscores the reformers' critique of its cultic use. English translations usually render Nechushtan as a proper name, but the term in context functions both as a name and as a polemical or dismissive descriptor. The usage points to tensions within Israelite religion regarding acceptable forms of cult objects versus later perceptions of idolatry.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נְחֹשֶׁת; something made of copper, i.e. the copper serpent of the Desert; Nehushtan.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נחש (n-ḥ-sh) — copper, bronze, brass, to be made of bronze
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5153 | נָחוּשׁ | bronze-made |
| H5154 | נְחוּשָׁה | copper-bronze |
| H5173 | נַחַשׁ | act of divination |
| H5174 | נְחָשׁ | copper |
| H5178 | נְחֹשֶׁת | in the bright-metal |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5180-01 |
נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן | nechushetan | HNp |
Nehushtan | Bronze-Thing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5180-01 |
2 Kings 18:4 | נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן | nechushetan | HNp |
Nehushtan | Bronze-Thing |