And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking away of the spirit that was in Moses, and giving to the seventy men. And when the spirit had rested on them they prophesied, nor did they cease afterwards.
וַיֵּ֨רֶד יְהוָ֥ה ׀ בֶּעָנָן֮ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָיו֒ וַיָּ֗אצֶל מִן־הָר֙וּחַ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו וַיִּתֵּ֕ן עַל־שִׁבְעִ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים וַיְהִ֗י כְּנ֤וֹחַ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ הָר֔וּחַ וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יָסָֽפוּ׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
When this came to pass, as He quickly revealed individuals distinct from all others, the Almighty filled them with the Holy Spirit. This is reflected in the writings regarding the Exodus, particularly in relation to the manna and the krastels.
The Spirit descended upon him and was bestowed upon the seventy men. Just as fruits derive their life-giving sap from the branches of a tree, the seventy elders experienced the Spirit, emanating from Moses, as it penetrated their deepest essence. The statement that the Spirit was drawn from Moses and given to the seventy elders does not imply that the Spirit was diminished in Moses, but rather emphasizes that all sentient beings receive the Spirit from Christ.
Why did the seventy prophesy immediately upon their commissioning, but not thereafter? This is because their calling was not primarily to prophesy, but to govern, which is a distinct spiritual endowment. Therefore the blessed Paul, alongside the apostles, prophets, teachers, and those endowed with the gifts of healing, included leadership among these spiritual gifts. The seventy were bestowed with this divine gift, and to demonstrate to the people that they had indeed received a heavenly endowment, a prophetic utterance was given at the outset.
The Spirit descended upon the seventy elders during the time of Moses, which illustrates His omniscience and sovereign agency. Seventy elders were appointed, and the Lord descended in a cloud, taking the Spirit that was upon Moses and imparting it to the seventy men. The Spirit was not fragmented; instead, grace was distributed in accordance with the willingness and capacity of those who received it. Although sixty-eight of the leaders prophesied, Eldad and Medad were not present (Num. 11:26). This indicates that it was not Moses who imparted the gift, but rather the Spirit's action, as Eldad and Medad, despite being called, did not attend yet still prophesied.
And the Lord spoke to Moses—though the specifics of His words are not detailed, it likely pertained to forthcoming events. He took some of the Spirit that resided within him and placed it upon seventy elders, thereby sharing the divine gifts bestowed upon him. This likely occurred as the Spirit within Moses transferred to them, similar to how the grace of the Holy Spirit flows down upon those receiving sacred ordination. An unseen outpouring of grace from Moses’ soul into the souls of these seventy chosen men took place.
However, it remains uncertain whether Moses performed any formal ordination, whether any external actions like blowing occurred, or if other miraculous signs, such as fire on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ's disciples, manifested during this occurrence.
When the Spirit descended upon them, the seventy elders began to prophesy, entering a state of divine ecstasy where they spoke forth what the Holy Spirit inspired. While the details are not specified, prophecy in biblical terms encompasses not only foretelling future events but also declaring God’s revelations that reflect His glory and serve as guidance and correction for humanity. It is believed that the prophetic words of the seventy were aimed at urging the children of Israel to cease their complaints against the Lord regarding their insufficient provisions and to return to a state of unwavering obedience to God’s will. They declared the miraculous acts God performed during the Exodus from Egypt, which were still evident in their midst. It is noteworthy that Christ's disciples, after receiving the Holy Spirit, similarly proclaimed God's mighty works.
In general, it can be inferred that the prophetic proclamations of the seventy elders were tied to their appointed ministry, illustrating the nature of their calling. However, this profound state did not persist; they did not continue in that rapturous utterance. Though their subsequent prophetic speech remained under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and strengthened by divine grace, the extraordinary signs that accompanied their initial experience, such as structured singing and lively movements, were not repeated. This initial manifestation of the Holy Spirit's work in the seventy was unique and enacted to provide visible confirmation of their anointing, as well as to signal their selection by God for leadership—a role that commanded the same obedience as Moses, their chosen leader.
There is a consensus that the ministry of the seventy elders, serving alongside Moses, continued throughout the Israelites' journey in the wilderness. However, the future trajectory of this council remains ambiguous, unless it is posited that it eventually evolved into the Sanhedrin, a governing body of seventy members that emerged after the Babylonian exile.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS