Brass: Which is an alloy of copper and zinc, was not known till the
thirteenth century. What is designated by this word in Scripture is
properly copper
(Deuteronomy 8:9) It was used for fetters
(Judges 16:21; 2 Kings 25:7)
for pieces of armour
(1 Samuel 17:5,6) for musical instruments
(1 Chronicles 15:19; 1 Corinthians 13:1) and for money
(Matthew 10:9) It is a symbol of
insensibility and obstinacy in sin
(Isaiah 48:4; Jeremiah 6:28; Ezekiel 22:18)
and of strength
(Psalms 107:16; Micah 4:13) The Macedonian empire is
described as a kingdom of brass
(Daniel 2:39) The "mountains of brass"
Zechariah
(Zechariah 6:1) speaks of have been supposed to represent the
immutable decrees of God. The serpent of brass was made by Moses at
the command of God
(Numbers 21:4-9) and elevated on a pole, so that it
might be seen by all the people when wounded by the bite of the
serpents that were sent to them as a punishment for their murmurings
against God and against Moses. It was afterwards carried by the Jews
into Canaan, and preserved by them till the time of Hezekiah, who
caused it to be at length destroyed because it began to be viewed by
the people with superstitious reverence
(2 Kings 18:4) The brazen
serpent is alluded to by our Lord in
(John 3:14,15)
