Moses Spoke
Gathering of Seventy
Verses 26–29 record the interesting episode where two of the elders did not come with the rest of the elders to the tabernacle, yet also received the Spirit and prophesied in the camp (verse 26). Joshua objected (verse 28), but Moses told him that he wished that all God’s people would have the Spirit and prophesy (verse 29). In Acts 2 we see this wish fulfilled, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the subsequent pouring out of God’s Spirit on all people, on the day of Pentecost.
In fulfilment of the double-sided divine promise, the spirit of the LORD is distributed to the seventy elders (25, 29) and a wind from the LORD (31) (rûaḥ in Hebrew means both spirit and wind) brings swarms of quails for the people to eat. Thus the story emphasizes from beginning to end the interrelatedness of the popular demand for meat and Moses’ prayer for spiritual support. Yet the outcome of the requests was very different. The spirit was bestowed within the court of the tabernacle, in the clean and holy area; the quails fell outside the camp, in the zone associated with uncleanness and death. The gift of the spirit drew men towards God; the quails led them away from God. Consequently the anger of the LORD was kindled … and the LORD smote the people (33).