Eldad

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

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).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

El'dad. Eldad. (Favored Of God) and Me'dad. (Love), Two of the seventy elders to whom was communicated the prophetic power of Moses.  Numbers 11:16;  Numbers 11:26. (B.C. 1490). Although their names were upon the last which Moses had drawn up,  Numbers 11:26, they did not repair with the rest of their brethren to the Tabernacle, but continued to prophesy in the camp. Moses, being requested by Joshua to forbid this, refused to do so, and expressed a wish that the gift of prophecy might be diffused throughout the people.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

and Medad were appointed by Moses among the seventy elders of Israel who were to assist in the government. Though not present in the general assembly, they were, notwithstanding, filled with the Spirit of God, equally with those who were in that assembly, and they began to prophesy in the camp. Joshua would have had Moses forbid them, but Moses replied, "Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that God would pour forth his Spirit upon them!"

 Numbers 11:24-29 .

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ELDAD . One of the seventy elders appointed to assist Moses in the government of the people. On one occasion he and another named Medad were not present with Moses and the rest of the elders at the door of the Tabernacle to hear God’s message and receive His spirit. But the spirit of the Lord came upon them where they were, and they prophesied in the camp. Joshua regarded this as an irregularity, but Moses declined to interfere (  Numbers 11:26-29 ).

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Eldad ( Ĕ L'Dăd ), Whom God Loves, meaning same as Theophilus. One of the 70 to whom the prophetical spirit of Moses was communicated. He with Medad did not go with the rest to the tabernacle, but prophesied in the camp. Joshua therefore begged Moses to forbid them.  Numbers 11:24-29.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Numbers 11:26,27 Numbers 11:24-30 Mark 9:38 Luke 9:49

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Numbers 11:16-29SpiritMedad

Morrish Bible Dictionary

One of the seventy elders, who, with Medad, received the spirit of prophecy.  Numbers 11:26,27 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

And  Numbers 11:24-29 .

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

See Medad

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Eldad', אֵלְדָּד , whom God Has Loved; comp. Theophilus; Sept. Ε᾿Λδάδ ), one of the seventy elders who had been appointed under Moses to assist in the administration of justice among the people. B.C. 1658. He is mentioned along with Medad, another elder, as having on a particular occasion received the gift of prophecy, which came upon them in the camp, while Moses and the rest of the elders were assembled around the door of the tabernacle. The spirit of prophecy was upon them all; and the simple peculiarity in the case of Eldad and Medad was that they did not lose their share in the gift, though they abode in the camp, but they prophesied there. It appeared, however, an irregularity to Joshua, the son of Nun, and seems to have suggested the idea that they were using the gift with a view to their own aggrandizement. He therefore entreated Moses to forbid them. But Moses, with characteristic magnanimity, replied, "Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!" ( Numbers 11:24-29). — Fairbairn, s.v. The great fact of the passage is the more general distribution of the spirit of prophecy, which had hitherto been concentrated in Moses; and the implied sanction of a tendency to separate the exercise of this gift from the service of the tabernacle, and to make it more generally available for the enlightenment and instruction of the Israelites, a tendency which afterwards led to the establishment of "schools of the prophets." The circumstance is in strict accordance with the Jewish tradition that all prophetic inspiration emanated originally from Moses, and was transmitted from him by a legitimate succession down to the time of the captivity. The mode of prophecy in the case of Eldad and Medad was probably the extempore production of hymns, chanted forth to the people (Hammond); comp. the case of Saul,  1 Samuel 10:11. From  Numbers 11:25, it appears that the gift was not merely intermittent, but a continuous energy, though only occasionally developed in action. (See Prophecy).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

el´dad ( אלדּד , 'eldādh , "God has loved"): One of the 70 elders chosen by Moses at the command of Yahweh to share "the burden of the people" ( Numbers 11:16-25 ). Eldad and his companion Medad were not present with the rest at the tent of meeting, yet the Spirit rested also upon them and they prophesied in the camp ( Numbers 11:26-29 ).