Numbers 11 24

Numbers 11:24 kjv

And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.

Numbers 11:24 nkjv

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle.

Numbers 11:24 niv

So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent.

Numbers 11:24 esv

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.

Numbers 11:24 nlt

So Moses went out and reported the LORD's words to the people. He gathered the seventy elders and stationed them around the Tabernacle.

Numbers 11 verses

Numbers 11 24 Meaning

Numbers 11:24 describes Moses' immediate obedience to the Lord's command following the Israelites' complaints and Moses' feeling overwhelmed. It details how Moses conveyed God's message to the people and then gathered seventy respected elders, positioning them strategically around the Tent of Meeting. This act was a pivotal moment for the establishment of shared spiritual leadership in Israel, where a portion of God's Spirit, which rested on Moses, would be given to these elders, enabling them to assist Moses in bearing the burden of leading the people.

Numbers 11 24 Context

Numbers chapter 11 opens with the Israelites complaining against the Lord, followed by their insatiable craving for meat, reminiscent of the "good old days" in Egypt, causing them to despise the manna. This persistent grumbling greatly burdens Moses, who laments to the Lord about the impossible task of leading such a people. He feels utterly crushed and even asks to die (v. 11-15). In response, God reassures Moses, promising to provide meat (quail) and, crucially, to lighten Moses' administrative load by taking some of the Spirit that is on him and placing it upon seventy chosen elders. These elders, previously recognized community leaders, are now to be spiritually empowered by God himself to share in the prophetic and administrative duties. Verse 24, therefore, marks Moses' obedient first step in executing this divine plan, preparing for the dramatic impartation of the Spirit described in the subsequent verses. This event highlights God's grace in responding to human weakness, His faithfulness to His covenant people, and the divine pattern of Spirit-empowered, distributed leadership.

Numbers 11 24 Word analysis

• So Moses:

  • Moses: Moshe (מֹשֶׁה). The divinely appointed leader and mediator, now facing immense personal and leadership burdens. His immediate action highlights his obedience.

• went out:

  • Yêtzê’ (וַיֵּצֵא): From a place of intimate communion with God (the Tent of Meeting, likely where God had just spoken to him, v.17, v.26). Implies action taken directly after receiving divine instruction.

• and told the people:

  • Wayyedabber ’el-hā’ām (וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל-הָעָם): Moses acted as the essential intermediary, relaying God’s direct "words" to the complaining community. This act affirms his prophetic role.

• the words of the Lord:

  • Divrê YHWH (דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה): Emphasizes divine authority and direct revelation. These are not Moses' own thoughts but God's sovereign will and promise, specifically concerning the quail and the elders (Num 11:18-23).

• and he gathered:

  • Wayye'esōf (וַיֶּאֱסֹף): Implies a purposeful assembly. This gathering is not of Moses’ own volition but in direct response to the Lord's command in v. 16.

• seventy men:

  • Shiv'îm ’îsh (שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ): A significant numerical symbolism in the ancient Near East and Bible, often representing completion, the whole, or divine ordering (e.g., seventy nations in Gen 10; seventy elders in Exod 24; seventy disciples in Luke 10). It highlights the chosen, limited, and specific nature of this delegation.

• of the elders:

  • Mizziqnê (מִזִּקְנֵי): Literally "from the old ones." These were not new appointments but individuals already recognized for their wisdom, experience, and authority within the tribes and community. God empowered existing, respected leadership.

• of the people:

  • Hā’ām (הָעָם): The larger Israelite community from which these leaders were drawn, signifying a broad, representative selection.

• and placed them:

  • Wayya’amēd (וַיַּעֲמֵד): "He caused them to stand" or "set them up." Indicates intentional positioning, a solemn arrangement for a sacred purpose.

• around the tent:

  • Sāvîv lā’ōhel (סָבִיב לָאֹהֶל): Specifically refers to the Tent of Meeting (Exod 33:7), the place of God's presence and where He communed with Moses. This physical proximity was crucial for the spiritual impartation that was to occur directly from the Lord.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord": This phrase underscores Moses' role as the faithful and obedient servant and prophet, the vital link between God's will and the understanding of His people, even amidst his own profound struggles.
  • "he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people": This group represents a formalization and decentralization of leadership, illustrating God's strategic provision for His people through a divinely appointed council rather than leaving Moses solely burdened. It is an acknowledgment of pre-existing communal structures (elders) within God's divine ordering.
  • "and placed them around the tent": This specific placement signifies that their commissioning and empowerment would be divinely sourced. The Tent of Meeting was the locus of God's presence among Israel, emphasizing that their authority and ability for leadership would come from a direct encounter with the Lord and the reception of His Spirit.

Numbers 11 24 Bonus section

• The number seventy later became foundational for the Sanhedrin, the supreme council in Israel, though not directly a continuation of this group, it reflects a similar number of governing authority.
• The incident highlights that the "Spirit" referred to is the enabling power and prophetic gift of God for service, not the inherent nature or character of Moses' soul. God "took" from this same Spirit that rested upon Moses, showing His infinite capacity to supply without diminishing the original vessel.
• This act can be seen as an example of God’s delegation, where authority and enablement for ministry are extended from a primary leader (Moses, foreshadowing Christ) to others, emphasizing corporate ministry rather than an individualistic approach.

Numbers 11 24 Commentary

Numbers 11:24 encapsulates Moses' obedient action in preparing for God's extraordinary solution to the leadership crisis. Moses, having poured out his overwhelming burden to God, faithfully relays the Lord's multifaceted "words"—addressing both the people's craving and His gracious provision for distributed leadership. The deliberate selection of "seventy elders," already esteemed within the community, highlights God's choice to work through established human structures, while simultaneously infusing them with divine empowerment. Placing them "around the tent" (the Tent of Meeting) underscores the sacred, divine origin of their upcoming anointing. This act demonstrates that true spiritual leadership is not self-appointed or based solely on human capability but is divinely initiated, Spirit-empowered, and shared, echoing God's intention for His Spirit to extend beyond a single individual for the collective good. It points to a broader pattern of God enabling and distributing spiritual authority and gifts for the work of His kingdom, culminating in the Pentecost event.