Numbers 11:25
in Numbers 11Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah came down in the cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.
KJV
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
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This verse in Numbers 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis Spirit descended upon the seventy elders in Moses' day. My object is to prove that he knew all things and worked according to his will. The seventy elders were chosen: "The Lord then came down in the cloud, and taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, he bestowed it on the seventy elders." It was not that the Spirit was divided, but his gifts were distributed according to the vessels and the capacity of the recipients. Now there were sixty-eight present, and they prophesied. Eldad and Medad were not present.
This site's exposition
Moses went out and relayed to the people the words
on Numbers 11:24-25
The last clause of verse 25 is read two ways. The King James follows the Targum in having them prophesy without ceasing. Keil and Delitzsch and the American Standard Version read that they did so no more.
This site's exposition
As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied
Wesley reads rested as the Spirit taking up a settled abode for an office that was lasting. In the Berean reading the prophesying came once and marked the men publicly, as it marked Saul new to office at 1 Samuel 10:10. The gift for governing stayed.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Rested on them - Not only moved them for a time, but took up his settled abode with them, because the use and end of this gift was perpetual. They prophesied - Discoursed of the word and works of God in a marvelous manner, as the prophets did. So this word is used, 1 Sam. x, 5, 6 Joel ii, 28;
And the Lord came down in a cloud,....
Thus, long afterwards, Saul was marked for the government by the gift of prophecy, which came upon him for a day and a night, 1 Sam. x. When Moses was to fetch Israel out of Egypt, Aaron was appointed to be his prophet, Exod. vii.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
When the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied - By prophesying here we are to understand their performing those civil and sacred functions for which they were qualified; exhorting the people to quiet and peaceable submission, to trust and confidence in the goodness and providence of God, would make no small part of the duties of their new office. The ideal meaning of the word נבא naba is to pray, entreat, etc. The prophet is called נביא nabi, because he prays, supplicates, in reference to God; exhorts, entreats, in reference to man. See on Gen 20:7 (note).
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּ֨רֶד | vaiyered | and he came down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה׀ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בֶּעָנָן֮ | beanan | in the cloud | H6051 → | 87 times |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלָיו֒ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וַיָּ֗אצֶל | vaiyatzel | and he shared | H680 → | |
| מִן־ | min- | some of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָר֙וּחַ֙ | haruach | the spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָלָ֔יו | ʾalav | [was] on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וַיִּתֵּ֕ן | vaiyiten | and he put [it] | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שִׁבְעִ֥ים | shivim | seventy | H7657 → | 91 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים | hazekenim | the elders | H2205 → | 178 times |
| וַיְהִ֗י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כְּנ֤וֹחַ | kenoach | when rested | H5117 → | 142 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶם֙ | ʾaleihem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָר֔וּחַ | haruach | the spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ | vaiyitnabeu | and they prophesied | H5012 → | 115 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָסָֽפוּ׃ | yasafu | they repeated | H3254 → | 212 times |
וַיֵּ֨רֶדand he came down
vaiyeredH3381 →381 times
יְהוָ֥ה׀Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בֶּעָנָן֮in the cloud
beananH6051 →87 times
וַיְדַבֵּ֣רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלָיו֒to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וַיָּ֗אצֶלand he shared
vaiyatzelH680 →
מִן־some of
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָר֙וּחַ֙the spirit
haruachH7307 →378 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָלָ֔יו[was] on him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
וַיִּתֵּ֕ןand he put [it]
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שִׁבְעִ֥יםseventy
shivimH7657 →91 times
אִ֖ישׁman
ʾishH376 →1663 times
הַזְּקֵנִ֑יםthe elders
hazekenimH2205 →178 times
וַיְהִ֗יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כְּנ֤וֹחַwhen rested
kenoachH5117 →142 times
עֲלֵיהֶם֙on them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
הָר֔וּחַthe spirit
haruachH7307 →378 times
וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּand they prophesied
vaiyitnabeuH5012 →115 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָסָֽפוּ׃they repeated
yasafuH3254 →212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 11:17And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 10:6
Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into a different person.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
- 2 Kings 2:9
After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” “Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,”…
- 2 Kings 2:15
When the sons of the prophets who were facing him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down…
- 1 Samuel 10:6
Through
Numbers 12:5and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward,
it leads to
- Exodus 34:5
And the LORD descended in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name, the LORD.
- Exodus 34:5
Through
1 Samuel 10:10When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 10:5–6
After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded…
- 1 Samuel 19:20–24
he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
- 1 Samuel 10:5–6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 16.25; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.