So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. Gathering seventy elders of the people, he had them stand around the tent. 25 The Lord then came down in the cloud and spoke to him. Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, he bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied but did not continue. 26 Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, had remained in the camp, yet the spirit came to rest on them also. They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent; and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 So, when a young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp,” 28 Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said, “My lord, Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses answered him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the people of the Lord were prophets! If only the Lord would bestow his spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses retired to the camp, along with the elders of Israel.
Moses obeyed the Lord’s instructions and gathered seventy elders representing respected leaders from across the tribes and had them stand around the tent of meeting, the place where God’s presence would manifest. God's descent “in the cloud” indicates His presence. This cloud is a theophany, a visible manifestation of God. It was often associated with divine guidance and leadership throughout the Exodus (cf. Exodus 40:34). God bestowed on the seventy the same divine authority and wisdom Moses had and they prophesied only when they received it, confirming their divine commission.
Two men, Eldad and Medad, who were listed among the seventy but had not physically joined the others at the tent of meeting, began to prophesy within the camp when they received the Spirit of God, indicating that the Spirit of the Lord knows no bounds and is not confined to a specific place. This event demonstrates that the Holy Spirit moves where it wills (cf. John 3:8). A young man quickly informed Moses that the men were prophesying in the camp, and Joshua, Moses’ trusted aide and eventual successor (cf. Numbers 27:18-23) asked Moses to stop them. Moses, with a deep understanding of God’s will, rebuked Joshua explaining that the outpouring of the Spirit is not something to be jealously guarded. Instead, Moses expressed a wish that all of God’s people might receive the Spirit and prophesy, implying that the Spirit of the Lord can be poured out on all the faithful. This foreshadows the broader outpouring of the Spirit in the New Covenant (cf. Acts 2:17-18). Moses then returned to camp along with the elders.
Heavenly Father, You poured out Your Spirit upon the elders of Israel, showing that Your grace knows no bounds. We humbly ask that You fill us with the same Spirit, so that we may serve You faithfully and proclaim Your truth with boldness. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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