Numbers 11:29

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, [and] that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

Complete Jewish Bible:

But Moshe replied, "Are you so zealous to protect me? I wish all of ADONAI's people were prophets! I wish ADONAI would put his Spirit on all of them!"

Berean Standard Bible:

But Moses replied, “Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!”

American Standard Version:

And Moses said unto him, Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all Jehovah’s people were prophets, that Jehovah would put his Spirit upon them!

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Moses^{H4872} said^{H559} unto him, Enviest^{H7065} thou for my sake? would God that all the^{H5414} LORD'S^{H3068} people^{H5971} were prophets^{H5030}, and that the LORD^{H3068} would put^{H5414} his spirit^{H7307} upon them!

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Commentary for Numbers 11:29

Numbers 11:29 is set within the context of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. In this particular instance, Moses, the leader of the Israelites, has grown weary of carrying the burden of leading the people alone. In response to his plea for assistance, God instructs him to gather seventy elders to share the leadership responsibilities. God then takes some of the spirit that is upon Moses and places it on these elders, enabling them to prophesy.

The verse in question captures a moment when Joshua, Moses' assistant, becomes alarmed that two men, Eldad and Medad, who were not present at the tabernacle with the other elders, are also prophesying in the camp. Moses responds to Joshua's concern with a rhetorical question, "Enviest thou for my sake?" This reflects Moses' humility and his desire for the spiritual well-being of the entire community rather than his own status. Moses then expresses a wish that all of God's people could be prophets, indicating his desire for a widespread spiritual endowment among the Israelites, where God's spirit would rest upon everyone, not just a select few.

This verse highlights key themes in the Pentateuch, such as the distribution of authority, the importance of prophecy as a means of communicating God's will, and the ideal of a community directly inspired by God. It also underscores Moses' unique character as a leader who is more concerned with the spiritual welfare of his people than with his own prestige or power. This sentiment prefigures later prophetic themes about the democratization of access to God, as seen in the New Testament with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all believers (Acts 2).

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H4872
   There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
   Transliteration: Môsheh
   Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
   Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses.
   
2. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
3. Strong's Number: H7065
   There are 28 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קָנָא
   Transliteration: qânâʼ
   Pronunciation: kaw-naw'
   Description: a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) zealous, i.e. (in a bad sense) jealous or envious; (be) envy(-ious), be (move to, provoke to) jealous(-y), [idiom] very, (be) zeal(-ous).
   
4. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5971
   There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עַם
   Transliteration: ʻam
   Pronunciation: am
   Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5030
   There are 288 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָבִיא
   Transliteration: nâbîyʼ
   Pronunciation: naw-bee'
   Description: from נָבָא; a prophet or (generally) inspired man; prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.
   
8. Strong's Number: H7307
   There are 348 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רוּחַ
   Transliteration: rûwach
   Pronunciation: roo'-akh
   Description: from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions); air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).