(26) Two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, had remained in camp; yet the spirit rested upon them—they were among those recorded, but they had not gone out to the Tent—and they spoke in ecstasy in the camp. (27) A youth ran out and told Moses, saying, “Eldad and Medad are acting the prophet in the camp!” (28) And Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ attendant from his youth, spoke up and said, “My lord Moses, restrain them!” (29) But Moses said to him, “Are you wrought up on my account? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD put His spirit upon them!”
1) Why do you Joshua is so bothered by Eldad and Medad's conduct?
2) Why might Moses be so supportive of their actions?
3) In verse 29, what message is Moses sending to Joshua?
4) What meaning might this message imply for us?
The Torah: A Modern Commentary Revised Edition, Plaut p. 969
Taking the text at its word, the idea is that instead of endowing the seventy independently with "the spirit", God took a portion from Moses and gave it to them. It was in every way a sharing of authority, both human and divine, and in both cases supply was limited.
1) How does the sharing of authority strengthen leadership?
2) Eldad and Medad were transmitting God's message. What does it mean to you to be creating the message and to be charged with spreading it?