Numbers 11:26

But there remained two [of the] men in the camp, the name of the one [was] Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they [were] of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

But there remained {H7604} two {H8147} of the men {H582} in the camp {H4264}, the name {H8034} of the one {H259} was Eldad {H419}, and the name {H8034} of the other {H8145} Medad {H4312}: and the spirit {H7307} rested {H5117} upon them; and they were of them that were written {H3789}, but went not out {H3318} unto the tabernacle {H168}: and they prophesied {H5012} in the camp {H4264}.

There were two men who stayed in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad, and the Spirit came to rest on them. They were among those listed to go out to the tent, but they hadn't done so, and they prophesied in the camp.

Two men, however, had remained in the camp—one named Eldad and the other Medad—and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those listed, but they had not gone out to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp.

But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

Commentary

Numbers 11:26 KJV describes an unexpected manifestation of God's Spirit during the Israelite wilderness journey, highlighting the divine sovereignty and the expansive nature of God's work.

Context of Numbers 11:26

This verse occurs immediately after the Lord had taken some of the Spirit that was upon Moses and distributed it to seventy elders gathered at the Tabernacle. Moses had complained about the immense burden of leading the grumbling Israelites, and God's solution was to appoint these elders to share the responsibility. The expectation was that the Spirit would empower them for this leadership task. Eldad and Medad were counted among these seventy chosen men, as indicated by "they were of them that were written," but for reasons not specified, they "went not out unto the tabernacle" with the others. Despite their physical absence from the central gathering place, the Spirit of God "rested upon them," and they began to prophesy within the camp itself.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Sovereignty and Unconventional Empowerment: The most striking theme is that God's Spirit is not confined to specific locations or formal protocols. Even though Eldad and Medad were not at the Tabernacle, God's Spirit empowered them just as it did the other elders. This demonstrates God's ability to work through unexpected channels.
  • The Prophetic Gift: Their "prophesying" (Hebrew: nava, meaning to speak under divine inspiration, to declare God's message) signifies an authentic manifestation of the Spirit's presence. It was a clear sign of God's anointing upon them.
  • Inclusivity of God's Work: This incident broadens the scope of divine activity beyond the immediate spiritual leadership. It foreshadows a time when God's Spirit would be poured out more broadly, as prophesied in Joel 2:28-29 and fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew verb for "prophesied" is nava (נָבָא), which means to speak under divine inspiration. While it can include foretelling the future, its primary sense here is speaking forth God's message, perhaps declaring His will, His character, or His purposes. It was a public and audible manifestation of God's Spirit at work through them.

Practical Application

Numbers 11:26 offers several timeless lessons for believers today:

  • God is Not Limited by Our Structures: We often create systems and hierarchies, but God's Spirit operates beyond human-made boundaries. He can empower individuals for His service regardless of their official position or physical location within a religious structure.
  • Embrace God's Unconventional Methods: This verse encourages us to be open to how God chooses to work, even if it doesn't fit our expectations. We should not quench the Spirit's work simply because it appears outside our established norms.
  • Desire for Widespread Empowerment: Moses' noble response to Joshua's concern about Eldad and Medad in Numbers 11:29 ("Would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!") echoes the desire for God's Spirit to be poured out on all His people, a vision that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Covenant.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 36:5

    And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I [am] shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:

  • 1 Samuel 20:26

    Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he [is] not clean; surely he [is] not clean.

  • Exodus 3:11

    ¶ And Moses said unto God, Who [am] I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

  • Exodus 4:13

    And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou wilt send.

  • Exodus 4:14

    And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, [Is] not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

  • 1 Samuel 10:22

    Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

  • Jeremiah 1:6

    Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child.
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