Bitten
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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.
/hebrew/7457.htm - 6k

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 . ...
/hebrew/5391a.htm - 5k

Library

Nun Bitten Wir Den Heiligen Geist. Now Pray we all God, the ...
... XIX. Nun bitten 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. ...
/.../bacon/the hymns of martin luther/xix nun bitten wir den.htm

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. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether limbo is the same.htm

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 is bitten, when he ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the poison and the antidote.htm

Why they Call Themselves Perat??; their Theory of Generation ...
... To those, then, he says, who of the children of Israel were bitten in the wilderness,
Moses exhibited the real and perfect serpent; and they who believed on ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xi why they call themselves.htm

Luther's Small Catechism. AD 1529.
... children, so that we may. Zuversicht ihn bitten sollen, wie die lieben Kinder
ihren lieben Vater. cheerfully and with all confidence ...
/.../luthers small catechism a d 1529.htm

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 being bitten and being ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxiv.htm

The Beatific vision. (Continued. )
... It is said that persons who have been bitten by a viper, and who have nevertheless
recovered by the application of timely remedies, are never again the same in ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter iv the beatific vision.htm

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 those bitten by serpents ...
/.../chapter xciv in what sense he.htm

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 is bitten, when he looketh upon ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/iv the saviour lifted up.htm

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 is bitten, when he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tozer/the pursuit of god/vii the gaze of the.htm

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). ...
/b/bitten.htm - 8k

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 is bitten and hath seen ...
/e/ensign.htm - 15k

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 is bitten, when he ...
/p/pole.htm - 15k

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 when bitten...
/c/cockatrice.htm - 10k

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 is bitten, when he sees it, shall ...
/s/standard.htm - 21k

Bit (46 Occurrences)
... 4. (v.) imp. & pp of Bite. 5. (n.) A part of anything, such as may be bitten
off or taken into the mouth; a morsel; a bite. Hence ...
/b/bit.htm - 24k

Hunger-bitten (1 Occurrence)
Hunger-bitten. Hungerbitten, Hunger-bitten. Hungered . Noah Webster's
Dictionary ... Multi-Version Concordance Hunger-bitten (1 Occurrence). ...
/h/hunger-bitten.htm - 6k

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 is bitten, when he ...
/l/looks.htm - 28k

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 hath bitten him. ...
/l/leans.htm - 8k

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 hath bitten him. ...
/l/leant.htm - 8k

Resources
What was Nehushtan? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about snake handling? Should we be handling snakes in church? | GotQuestions.org

Is it true that fear is a liar? | GotQuestions.org

Bitten: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Bitten (6 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 is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 21:9
Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it on the standard: and it happened, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of brass, he lived.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NIV)

Ecclesiastes 10:8
He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
(WEB NIV)

Jeremiah 8:17
For, lo, I am sending among you serpents, Vipers that have no charmer, And they have bitten you, an affirmation of Jehovah.
(YLT)

Amos 5:19
As 'when' one fleeth 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 hath bitten him.
(YLT)

Amos 9:3
And if they be hid in the top of Carmel, From thence I search out, and have taken them, And if they be hid from Mine eyes in the bottom of the sea, From thence I command the serpent, And it hath bitten them.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Bitten

Related Terms

Bitter (203 Occurrences)

Bitter-tasting (2 Occurrences)

Gall (17 Occurrences)

Wormwood (10 Occurrences)

Bitterness (37 Occurrences)

Quarrelsome (9 Occurrences)

Tasting (9 Occurrences)

Mara (1 Occurrence)

Marah (4 Occurrences)

Sweet (147 Occurrences)

Poison (17 Occurrences)

Feelings (26 Occurrences)

Haircloth (38 Occurrences)

Wailing (44 Occurrences)

Feeling (59 Occurrences)

Stomach (40 Occurrences)

Causeth (209 Occurrences)

Belly (62 Occurrences)

Grip (32 Occurrences)

Lamentation (45 Occurrences)

Wasting (57 Occurrences)

Outcry (56 Occurrences)

Envy (56 Occurrences)

Plants (70 Occurrences)

Passion (82 Occurrences)

Causing (248 Occurrences)

Causes (89 Occurrences)

Quickly (254 Occurrences)

Gourd (4 Occurrences)

Galbanum (1 Occurrence)

Famished (8 Occurrences)

Rod (138 Occurrences)

Rot (15 Occurrences)

Refusing (21 Occurrences)

Myrrh (22 Occurrences)

Migdol (6 Occurrences)

Merari (38 Occurrences)

Poisoned (7 Occurrences)

Bitters (1 Occurrence)

Bittern (4 Occurrences)

Beer (15 Occurrences)

Bitterly (36 Occurrences)

Chafe (1 Occurrence)

Angle (19 Occurrences)

Substitute (3 Occurrences)

Sour (15 Occurrences)

Shared (21 Occurrences)

Baldness (11 Occurrences)

Caused (468 Occurrences)

Asmoneans

Adultery (49 Occurrences)

Behaviour (115 Occurrences)

Nazarene (19 Occurrences)

Underworld (87 Occurrences)

Taunt (38 Occurrences)

Vine (76 Occurrences)

Heavy (110 Occurrences)

Sackcloth (47 Occurrences)

Crieth (47 Occurrences)

Eaten (211 Occurrences)

Salt (45 Occurrences)

Heaviness (14 Occurrences)

Sodom (49 Occurrences)

Waters (386 Occurrences)

Goshen (16 Occurrences)

Wasted (106 Occurrences)

Haters (220 Occurrences)

Red (124 Occurrences)

Sorrowing (33 Occurrences)

Mourning (85 Occurrences)

Cold (25 Occurrences)

Weep (97 Occurrences)

Wanderings (7 Occurrences)

Passover (81 Occurrences)

Angry (269 Occurrences)

Weeping (237 Occurrences)

Scroll (70 Occurrences)

Unleavened (51 Occurrences)

Bits
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