The Lord then promised to relieve some of this burden from him and place it upon the seventy elders, taking some of the Spirit that was within Moses and distributing it among them. This act would enable them to share in the same gracious gifts granted to Moses, equipping them to serve as vessels of the same Spirit of authority and governance (Ps. 50:14) that resided in him. To clarify that Moses would not lose the fullness of grace in this sharing of the Spirit, interpreters often use an analogy from the physical world. Much like the light of a candle is not diminished when it lights other candles—rather, the illumination of the entire room increases—so too, as Moses imparts the gifts of grace to others, he does not lose them; instead, the opportunity for greater use is created. - And they shall lift up with you the striving of the people. The elders, by partaking of the Spirit within Moses, would provide assistance to manage the unreasonable demands of the people and fulfill their rightful needs. - And you shall not bear them alone. More accurately from the Greek, “you shall not carry them by yourself.” Moses had complained that he alone was responsible for guiding the people (14), as if cradling them like a child. The promise of aid from the seventy elders was to alleviate Moses' heavy load. But how would their participation in sharing Moses' burdens manifest? What would their roles and obligations entail? It is known that even prior to the laws given at Sinai, Moses, advised by his father-in-law Jethro, had selected assistants from among the people to manage judicial matters. Until that time, Moses had dealt with every issue personally, from dawn till dusk, without rest or peace. The judges he appointed were categorized into three groups based on their responsibilities: leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, and leaders of tens. By entrusting them with the majority of the judicial matters, Moses reserved the most critical cases for himself (Ex. 18). There is no reason to believe the seventy elders were created to share the same role as these judges. Their authority was not nullified; instead, it was distinct from that of the elders. The selection of these leaders was not concerned with legal disputes among the Hebrews, but rather with addressing their disobedience to God, their dissatisfaction with His provision, their ingratitude, and their tendency to break the covenant. Although the people were aware of the Lord's continual miracles and His devotion to them, they often rebelled against Him like thoughtless children, expressing their frustrations toward Moses. They failed to recognize the very punishments God used to correct their disobedience. It is evident how difficult it was for Moses to lead such a people, to maintain their commitment to the covenant with the Lord, and how the weight of responsibility tormented him when he felt he might fail in this effort. His complaint to God was not about judicial burdens—he had already designed a system for that—but rather about being alone in his inability to calm a rebellious populace, eager to grumble against the Lord for lacking meat and longing for Egypt. In a moment of despair over his inability to govern such a people, he begged God for death, feeling incapable of guiding them to remain faithful, avoid idolatry, and lead them safely into the Promised Land. The Lord, however, assured Moses that through the newly appointed officials, he would receive helpers who would participate in his mediatory role between God and the people. Like Moses, they would powerfully remind the people of their covenant with the Lord, their solemn duty to serve the one true God, and their commitment to unwavering faithfulness. They would possess the authority to curb any rebellious impulses against God, to discipline them for unfaithfulness, and to receive direct divine instructions concerning challenges faced. Above all, they would teach the people the Lord’s commandments and statutes with the same authority as Moses. While the teaching of the law was also a role of the priests and Levites, their influence in this matter was not as strong as that of the appointed leaders endowed with special authority and power—Moses and his seventy companions. In summary, the establishment of these co-laborers was intended to oversee the spiritual commitments of the chosen people and guard against any betrayal of their true faith.
THEOSIS