Numbers 11:26

_BUT THERE REMAINED TWO OF THE MEN IN THE CAMP, THE NAME OF THE ONE WAS ELDAD, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER MEDAD: AND THE SPIRIT RESTED UPON THEM; AND THEY WERE OF THEM THAT WERE WRITTEN, BUT WENT NOT OUT UNTO THE TABERNACLE: AND THEY PROPHESIED IN THE CAMP._ But there remained two. These did not repair with the rest to the tabernacle, either from modesty in shrinking from the assumption of a public office or being prevented by some ceremonial defilement. They, however, received the gifts of the Spirit as well as their brethren; and when Moses was urged to forbid their prophesying, his answer displayed a noble disinterestedness, as well as zeal for the glory of God, akin to that of our Lord (Mark 9:39). THEY WERE OF THEM THAT WERE WRITTEN, BUT WENT NOT OUT UNTO THE TABERNACLE. Foster ('Sinai Photographed') enlists this passage in support of his favourite theory, that

26._But there remained two of the men in the camp. _It is not certain why they had not appeared amongst the others. I do not at all doubt but that they were called for by Moses; nor would they have been endued with the same grace of the Spirit as the others, if through idleness or contempt they had not come at the time appointed. We may, therefore, probably infer that they did not actually receive the invitation, because they could not be found; and hence it arose that God excused their ignorance. Still, however, it must be observed that they were kept back by the secret counsel of God, that His grace might be made known by this illustrious proof amongst the common people in general, when they were not all eye-witnesses of it: for the greater portion of them had not assembled at the Tabernacle. In order, therefore, that its fame might spread more widely, and might reach even to the most...

24-30 We have here the fulfilment of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel. He gave of his Spirit to the seventy elders. They discoursed to the people of the things of God, so that all who heard them might say, that God was with them of a truth. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, went not out unto the tabernacle, as the rest, being sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness. But the Spirit of God found them in the camp, and there they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising God; they spake as moved by the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God is not confined to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where He listeth. And they that humble themselves shall be exalted; and those who are most fit for government, are least ambitious of it. Joshua does not desire that they should be punished, but only restrained for the future. This motion...

Occurrences at Kibroth-hattavah. Numbers 11:4 THE MIXT MULTITUDE - The word in the original resembles our “riff-raff,” and denotes a mob of people scraped together. It refers here to the multitude of strangers (see Exodus 12:38) who had followed the Israelites from Egypt. Numbers 11:5 The natural dainties of Egypt are set forth in this passage with the fullness and relish which bespeak personal experience. Numbers 11:6 THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL ... - literally, “Nought at all hav

EXPOSITION KIBROTH HATTAAVAH (Numbers 11:4). NUMBERS 11:4 THE MIXED MULTITUDE. Hebrew, _ha_-_saphsuph, _the gathered; the rift-raft, or rabble, which had followed the fortunes of Israel out of Egypt, where they had probably been strangers and slaves themselves. What the nature and the number and the fate of this rabble were is a matter of mere conjecture and of some perplexity. There does not seem any room for them in the regulations laid down for Israel, nor are they mentioned in any other place except at Exodus 12:38. In Le Exodus 24:10

BUT THERE REMAINED TWO [OF THE] MEN IN THE CAMP,.... Of the seventy who were summoned, that came not out of the camp of Israel to the tabernacle when the rest did: THE NAME OF THE ONE [WAS] ELDAD, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER MEDAD: who, according to the Targum of Jonathan, were brethren of Moses by his mother's side; for it says, they were the sons of Elizaphan the son of Parnac, whom Jochebed the daughter of Levi brought forth at the time that Amram her husband dismissed her, and she was married to him before she brought forth Moses; but it is elsewhere said r, that Elizaphan married her after the death of Amram; and Eldad and Medad were born unto them: AND THE SPIRIT RESTED UPON THEM; as it did upon the rest of the seventy that came to the tabernacle; these two had the same gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon them as they had: AND THEY [WERE] OF THEM THAT WERE WRITTEN; among the seventy...

II. THE JOURNEY STARTED: ISRAEL'S UNBELIEF, FAILURE AND PUNISHMENT 1. The Departure and the First Failure CHAPTER 10:11-36 _ 1. The cloud moves (Numbers 10:11)_ 2. The standard of the camp of Judah (Numbers 10:14) 3. The standard of the camp of Reuben (Numbers 10:18) 4. The standard of the camp of Ephraim (Numbers 10:22) 5. The standard of the camp of Dan (Numbers 10:25) 6.The first failure (N

NUMBERS 11:4 (JE). THE PEOPLE'S LUST FOR FLESH AND MOSES-' COMPLAINT OF HIS EXCESSIVE BURDEN. This section is a combination of two narratives (from J and E), relating (1) a demand of the people for flesh (instead of manna), which was satisfied by a flight of quails; (2) a complaint of Moses that the responsibility of leadership was too great for him, which was met by the appointment of 70 elders to assist him. But the separation of the two stories cannot be effected with perfect confidence, and some verses may originally have stood in a different context. NUMBERS 11:4. THE DISCONTENT WITH THE MANNA, AND THE DESIRE FOR FLESH. The complaint about the lack of flesh is inconsistent with the possession by Israel of the flocks and herds implied in...

MEN. Hebrew, plural of _'ish_ or _'enosh._ App-14. THEM. the seventy. WRITTEN. enrolled. See note on Exodus 17:14. WENT NOT OUT. Compare 1 Samuel 10:22. IN THE CAMP. Compare Psalms 139:7....

ELDAD, AND—MEDAD: AND THE SPIRIT RESTED UPON THEM, &C.— Mr. Saurin observes, that this prophecy of Eldad and Medad has given handle to an impostor to forge a work under the name of the former: the author of the Book of Hermes says, he borrowed an oracle from thence. Witsius is of opinion, that St. James had the answer of Moses, Numbers 11:29 in view, when he made use of those difficult expressions in his epistle, ch. Numbers 4:5. _Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? but he giveth more grace._ Witsius cannot find, in any part of the Scripture, these words, unless in the case we are now upon; and he thus paraphrases St. James's words: "Do you imagine that the Spirit, which regenerates us, stirs us up to envy, or other passions of the like nature