Pentecost 2023
The language of the Hebrew text evidences that this distribution of the Spirit was carried out by God and as such did not diminish that portion of the Spirit that had rested upon Moses previously.
That is not to say that their newly appointed role of spiritual leadership was discontinued, but only that this identifiable evidence of their spiritual anointing was not repeated.
Prophesying here does not refer to prediction or even to proclamation but to giving (in song or speech) praise and similar expressions without prior training (see the comparable experience of Saul in 1 Sam. 10:9–11). This prophesying could be done only in response to the special visitation of the Spirit.
To show that the bestowal of the Spirit was an act of God unrelated to Moses’ presence, the LORD placed the Spirit on two men … Eldad and Medad, who had not joined the others at the tabernacle
prophecy described here was probably an unintelligible ecstatic utterance, what the New Testament terms speaking in tongues, not the inspired, intelligible speech of the great Old Testament prophets and the unnamed prophets of the early church (1 Kgs 18:29; Acts 21:10–11; 1 Cor. 14
Snaith conjectures that they were among the 70 chosen, but were ritually impure at the time (Snaith 1969:259); some rabbis think they declined to come out because of feelings of inadequacy (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan; Sifre Numbers §95; b. Sanhedrin 17a). (3) They were included in an original count of 72 though 70 went to the Tent (Noth 1968:90). Milgrom cites the following speculative but interesting explanation from Jewish tradition:
Some say: they (e.g., their names) remained in the urn. For when the Holy One, Blessed Be He, said to Moses: “Gather for Me 70 of Israel’s elders,” Moses said (to himself): “How shall I do it” (11:16); if I select five (from each tribe) then it will be wanting. If, on the other hand, I chose six out of one and five out of another, I shall cause jealousy among the tribes. What shall I do?” He selected six men (out of each tribe), and brought 72 slips, on 70 of which he wrote the word “elder,” leaving the other two blank. He then mixed them all up, deposited them in an urn, and said to them, “Come and draw your slips.” To each who drew a slip bearing the word “elder,” he said, “Heaven has already consecrated you.” To him who drew a blank, he said, “Heaven has rejected you, what can I do?” (Milgrom 1989:90, quoting b. Sanhedrin 17a).
Yet Moses, willing to share authority (Num 11:14, 29), wishes that more would prophesy and have the Spirit upon them (v. 29).