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Bible Dictionaries
Eldad
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
or ELDAD ("loved of God") and Medad. Two of the 70 elders to whom the Spirit was imparted, in order to share. Moses' burden of responsibility. Though "they were of them that were written" in Moses' list (implying that the 70 were permanently appointed) they did not go with the rest to the tabernacle, but prophesied in the camp (Numbers 11:26). Forster however trans. "they were among the inscriptions," i.e. occupied in directing the records of the exode at Sarbut el Khadem at the entrance to Wady Maghara and Mokatteb. The context favors KJV When "the (so Hebrew for a) young man" reported it at the tabernacle, and Joshua begged Moses to forbid them, he refused saying, "enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets," etc. So, Jesus' disciples were jealous for His honor, but were reproved by Moses' Antitype (Mark 9:38-39), For "and did not cease," Numbers 11:25, trans. wilo' yasphu "and did not add," as Septuagint, i.e. they did not continue prophesying.
Not that the Spirit departed from them, but having given this palpable sample to the nation of their Spirit-attested mission, they for the time ceased to give further spiritual demonstrations, their office being executive administration not prophecy. Not foretelling the future is meant, but ecstatic impulse by the Spirit, giving them wisdom and utterance; as the disciples on Pentecost received the gift of tongues and of prophecy, i.e. the power of inspired speaking. They probably declared God's will in extempore hymns of praise; so Saul, 1 Samuel 10:11. The Jews' tradition was that all prophetic inspiration emanated from Moses originally. In the sense only that Moses' Pentateuch is the basis of all subsequent prophecy, the psalms and the prophets, it is true. It was "of the Spirit that was upon Moses" that "God gave unto the 70 elders." The diffusion of the spirit of prophecy, no longer limited to Moses, and its separation from the tabernacle service, led to the establishment of the "schools of the prophets."
Moses, like the true "servant" of God (Hebrew 3), not seeking his own but God's glory, and the extension of His kingdom, rejoiced at what provoked the jealousy of his followers. The 70 elders appointed by Jethro's advice at Sinai (Exodus 18) to help Moses in judging are distinct from the 70 here endowed with the Spirit to help hint as his executive court, to govern the rebellious people, and establish his authority, shaken by the people's murmurings against Jehovah and himself because of the want of flesh. The number 70 symbolically represented the elect nation, the sacred number for perfection, 7, being raised to tens, the world number. Accordingly, it was our Lord's number for the disciples sent two by two before His face (Luke 10:1).
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Fausset, Andrew R. Entry for 'Eldad'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/fbd/e/eldad.html. 1949.
