The people now humbled themselves before God. They came to Moses with their confessions and entreaties. "We have sinned," they said, "for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee." Only a little before, they had accused him of being their worst enemy, the cause of all their distress and afflictions. But even when the words were upon their lips, they knew that the charge was false; and as soon as real trouble came they fled to 430 him as the only one who could intercede with God for them. "Pray unto the Lord," was their cry, "that He take away the serpents from us."

Nu ydmygede folket sig for Gud. De henvendte sig til Moses, bekendte deres synd og bad om hjælp. "Vi har syndet," sagde de, "ved at tale imod Herren og dig." Kort forinden havde de betegnet Moses som deres værste fjende og som årsagen til al deres elendighed og alle deres besværligheder. Men medens ordene endnu var på deres læber, var de klar over, at denne beskyldning var falsk. Og så snart de kom ud for en virkelig vanskelighed, skyndte de sig hen til Ham, som var den eneste, der kunne gå i forbøn for dem hos Gud. "Gå i forbøn hos Herren," råbte de, "at han tager slangerne fra os!"