Numbers 11:17 kjv
And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
Numbers 11:17 nkjv
Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.
Numbers 11:17 niv
I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.
Numbers 11:17 esv
And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.
Numbers 11:17 nlt
I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.
Numbers 11 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 11:25-26 | Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit...they prophesied, though they did not do so again. But two men...Edlad and Medad, remained...the Spirit rested upon them. | Direct fulfillment: Spirit distributed to 70 elders; empowering prophesy. |
| Exod 18:13-26 | Moses' father-in-law Jethro advised him to delegate judicial duties to able men, making them leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. | Human organizational wisdom complementing divine spiritual empowerment for shared leadership. |
| Deut 1:9-18 | Moses recalls appointing wise, discerning, and experienced men to be heads over their tribes, hearing cases on his behalf. | Moses' reflection on delegated leadership in Israel's early days. |
| Exod 31:3 | And I have filled him [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship. | The Spirit of God enabling specific skills for divine service. |
| Judg 3:10 | The Spirit of the LORD came upon Othniel, and he became judge in Israel, and he went out to war. | Spirit empowering leaders for their appointed tasks. |
| Judg 6:34 | But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were gathered to him. | The Spirit enabling military and national leadership. |
| Isa 11:2 | The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him [Messiah], The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might... | The comprehensive endowment of the Spirit upon the Messiah. |
| Ezek 36:27 | I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and you will keep My judgments and do them. | The indwelling Spirit empowering obedience in the New Covenant. |
| Joel 2:28-29 | "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy...on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out My Spirit in those days." | Prophecy of widespread Spirit endowment in the latter days. |
| Acts 2:1-4 | When the Day of Pentecost had fully come...And suddenly there came a sound from heaven...And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues... | Fulfillment of Joel's prophecy; widespread spiritual endowment in the church age. |
| Acts 2:17-18 | 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh... ' | Peter quoting Joel 2, connecting the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost to prophecy. |
| Rom 12:4-8 | For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing... | Diverse gifts distributed by the Spirit for the functioning of the body of Christ. |
| 1 Cor 12:4-11 | There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit...But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. | The unity and diversity of spiritual gifts, empowered by one Spirit for mutual benefit. |
| Eph 4:7, 11-12 | But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift...And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints... | Christ distributing gifts to equip leaders for ministry and building up the body. |
| Neh 7:2 | That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. | Trustworthy character important for entrusted leadership. |
| Gal 6:2 | Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. | Exhortation for believers to share difficulties, echoing the principle of shared burden. |
| 1 Pet 5:2-3 | Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers...not by constraint but willingly... | Admonition to elders/overseers regarding their compassionate leadership role. |
| Matt 11:28-30 | "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me...For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." | Christ offers ultimate relief from heavy burdens, in contrast to Moses' overwhelming experience. |
| Ps 55:22 | Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. | Encouragement to rely on God for strength in carrying burdens. |
| Num 12:5 | Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the doorway of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. | God's continued direct descent to address situations among His people. |
| Exod 3:8 | So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up... | God's frequent motif of "coming down" for redemptive action. |
Numbers 11 verses
Numbers 11 17 Meaning
Numbers 11:17 describes God's compassionate response to Moses' overwhelming burden of leading the Israelites. God promises to descend and directly interact with Moses, then to take a portion of the divine Spirit that rests upon Moses and impart it to seventy chosen elders. This spiritual enablement will allow the elders to share the immense responsibility of the people's complaints and needs with Moses, thus alleviating his solitary burden. This divine initiative ensures that leadership among God's people is rooted in spiritual empowerment from God.
Numbers 11 17 Context
Numbers chapter 11 opens with the Israelites complaining, first generally, then specifically for meat, rejecting the manna provided by God. Their intense craving and lamenting at the entrance of their tents ignites the Lord's anger. Moses himself, feeling the full weight of their grumbling and constant needs, becomes overwhelmed and despondent. He laments to God, feeling incapable of bearing such a burden alone, comparing the people to nurslings he did not conceive, and even begs God to kill him if he is to endure such distress (Num 11:11-15). Numbers 11:17 is God's direct and compassionate response to Moses' desperate plea. It is not a rebuke for Moses' despair but a divine provision for a deeply human struggle. The broader context of the wilderness wanderings is one where Israel is constantly tested and refined, often failing, yet God faithfully provides and teaches. This event highlights God's practical support for His chosen leaders and sets a precedent for Spirit-empowered leadership. It also subtly critiques any assumption that human strength or tribal systems alone are sufficient for leading God's people; divine spiritual enablement is essential.
Numbers 11 17 Word analysis
- And I will come down (וְיָרַדְתִּי, v'yaradti): From the verb יָרַד (yarad), meaning "to go down, descend." This signifies a direct, personal, and active divine intervention. It underscores God's tangible presence and willingness to interact personally, often indicating an act of revelation or aid. It echoes previous instances of God's descent (e.g., Exod 19:20 at Sinai, Exod 34:5 when proclaiming His name).
- and speak with you there, (וְדִבַּרְתִּי עִמְּךָ שָׁם, v'dibbarti imm'kha sham): Reaffirms God's continued and direct communication with Moses, reinforcing his unique prophetic status. The "there" refers to the Tent of Meeting, where God customarily met with Moses.
- and I will take of the Spirit who is on you (וְאָצַלְתִּי מִן־הָרוּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ, v'atzalti min-haruach asher aleykha):
- "I will take" (וְאָצַלְתִּי, v'atzalti): From the verb אָצַל (atzal), which can mean to separate, set apart, reserve, or diminish/take away from. In this context, it indicates distributing from an existing reservoir of the Spirit rather than creating new Spirit. It implies that God is granting a share of Moses' spiritual enablement, not diminishing Moses' anointing but extending its reach through others. This emphasizes that Moses’ leadership was fundamentally Spirit-filled.
- "Spirit" (רוּחַ, ruach): The breath, wind, or Spirit of God. Here, it signifies the divine power, anointing, and wisdom necessary for spiritual leadership and administration. This ruach empowers for prophecy, discernment, and effective governance. It's the enabling force for divinely appointed tasks.
- "who is on you": Clearly indicates that the source of the elders' empowerment is the same Spirit already upon Moses, ensuring unity in purpose and authority, stemming from God alone.
- and put Him on them; (וְשַׂמְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם, v'samti aleyhem): A direct divine action of spiritual impartation. This isn't merely delegation of duties based on human capability but a transfer of divine spiritual enablement.
- and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, (וְנָשְׂאוּ בְאִתְּךָ בְּמַשָּׂא הָעָם, v'nas'u v'itt'kha b'massa ha'am):
- "bear the burden" (וְנָשְׂאוּ בְאִתְּךָ בְּמַשָּׂא, v'nas'u v'itt'kha b'massa): Nas'u means "they shall carry/lift." Massa (מַשָּׂא) means burden, load, weight. This refers to the emotional, administrative, and spiritual weight of dealing with the people's numerous complaints, conflicts, and needs, which had overwhelmed Moses. This burden encompasses the administrative tasks (judicial, provisioning) but also the emotional and spiritual toll of pastoral care for a stubborn people.
- "of the people with you": Emphasizes shared responsibility. It's not taking Moses' place but augmenting his capacity.
- so that you will not bear it all alone. (וְלֹא תִשָּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ, v'lo tissa attah l'vaddekha): God explicitly acknowledges and directly addresses Moses' heartfelt complaint of isolation and exhaustion (Num 11:14). This demonstrates God's compassion and active response to His servant's distress, providing practical and spiritual relief. "All alone" highlights the depth of Moses' feeling of solitary struggle.
Numbers 11 17 Bonus section
- The selection of seventy elders, paralleled perhaps in the number of disciples Jesus sent out (Luke 10:1), indicates a divinely sanctioned body for governance and ministry beyond a single leader. This number often carried symbolic weight in Jewish tradition, such as the Sanhedrin's size.
- While the Spirit taken from Moses suggests an impartation, it does not imply that Moses’ spiritual capacity was diminished. Instead, it demonstrates the abundance and extensibility of God's Spirit. Moses' unique role as prophet and intercessor for Israel remained untouched.
- The immediate, tangible proof of this spiritual empowerment was their prophesying (Num 11:25). This transient manifestation served as clear evidence that God's Spirit was indeed upon them, authenticating their new spiritual role before the people.
- This act sets a foundational pattern: burdens in spiritual leadership are not meant to be borne "all alone" by one individual but are often designed for distribution through divinely enabled co-laborers. This requires humility from the senior leader (Moses receiving help) and recognition that God can equip others similarly.
Numbers 11 17 Commentary
Numbers 11:17 is a pivotal verse illustrating divine leadership principles and God's compassionate nature. In response to Moses' near breakdown, God provides a unique spiritual solution, rather than simply offering moral encouragement or a logistical rearrangement. God Himself descends, highlighting direct divine involvement. The remarkable aspect is the sharing of the Spirit: the same Spirit that uniquely empowered Moses is distributed, not diluted, among the seventy elders. This means their authority and effectiveness as leaders would stem directly from a divine source, replicating Moses' Spirit-empowered leadership model on a broader scale. This arrangement provided both a practical alleviation of Moses' administrative load ("bear the burden of the people with you") and a spiritual authentication of the delegated leaders. It underscores that effective spiritual leadership is not a result of mere human selection or skill, but of divine spiritual enablement. The phrase "all alone" encapsulates Moses' profound isolation and highlights God's empathetic answer, ensuring that leaders in God's kingdom are supernaturally equipped for their weighty callings. This event foreshadows the broad outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh in the New Covenant, showing God's intent for a multitude to be equipped for His work.