Numbers 11:16, commentary and pictures

God directed Moses to bring seventy men he knew to be proven elders and officers of Israel to stand with him at the tabernacle of the congregation. Elders here means not merely old men but mature men of dignity, sound judgment, experience, faithfulness, and capability, fit to serve as judges and leaders. God promised to come down and take of the Spirit resting on Moses and put it upon them, so that they prophesied as a sign they were chosen to unite their authority with his. Their appointment answered Moses' cry that he could not bear the burden of the people alone, giving him counselors to share the load of governing, restrain rebellion, and quell murmuring. It came when Israel, though fed with bread from heaven, loathed the manna and wept for the flesh of Egypt, so God gave them quails in abundance and then struck many with plague while the meat was still in their mouths, showing that letting appetite rule brings ruin and dulls discernment.

Appointment of Seventy Elders

The Lord commanded Moses to gather seventy men whom he knew to be elders of the people and officers over them and bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation to stand there with him. They were to be recognized, known elders assembled at the tabernacle to stand with Moses and share responsibility for leading the people rather than leaving it on one person. Moses was allowed to choose the helpers he considered best.

Elders here means more than men of advanced years. They were to be mature men of dignity, sound judgment, and experience, faithful, capable, and orderly, fit to serve as judges or officers. They were respected men whose character and experience qualified them to restrain violence and rebellion and to share the burden of the people with Moses so he would not bear it alone.

God promised to come down in a cloud and talk with Moses there and take of the Spirit resting on Moses and put it upon them. It was the same spirit of counsel that was upon Moses, given so they could share the work of governing with him. When the Spirit rested upon them they prophesied and did not cease. This resting of the prophetic gift upon these judges and elders was a sign that God had chosen them to unite their authority with that of Moses, to establish the confidence of the people in them, and to assist in subduing the murmurings of the people during the wilderness sojourn and thus ease his task.

The gathering belongs to an organized system of government under God's authority. Moses stood as God's representative at the head of the people's government. Under him was a council of seventy appointed to assist in the general affairs of the nation. After them came priests, princes, and officers with authority over successively smaller groups.

Sharing Moses' Burden

The command to gather seventy elders was God's answer to Moses' distress when he declared he was unable to bear the burden of the people alone. Moses felt the weight of the work and his own weakness, and the seventy were appointed to bear the burden with him so he would not carry it alone. They were to relieve him and lift his load, sharing the responsibility of leading the people and becoming safe counselors to him in his responsible work. Responsibility was thus shared among many instead of resting on one person, giving others a chance to learn to bear responsibility.

They were appointed to help carry the work and burdens of governing Israel during the wilderness sojourn and thus ease Moses' task. Their influence was to restrain violence and rebellion, quell insurrection, and subdue the people's murmurings. As part of an organized system they were to assist Moses in the general affairs of the nation.

Their appointment did not mean that Aaron and Miriam shared Moses' responsibility, nor that Moses lacked God as his counselor. God had been Moses' counselor, while Aaron and Miriam had never themselves felt the responsibility and burdens Moses bore for the people. Because they had not felt that burden they saw no real necessity for the help of the seventy, though they thought their own service meant they bore the burden of the work as well as Moses did. The seventy were chosen without consulting Aaron and Miriam, and Aaron and Miriam became jealous at being left out and not consulted.

The need for human helpers arose in part because Moses magnified his own burdens and services and failed to trust fully in God. God could have guided and strengthened and sustained him in every emergency if he had relied fully on Him. Their enlarged authority and promotion would eventually bring serious trouble and evils.

Craving Meat Despite Manna

The command to gather the seventy belongs to the time when Israel already had bread from heaven, angels' food, with promise to remove sickness, with blessing, and with abundance for every necessity, yet they murmured against Moses and against God. They loathed the light bread and despised the manna, hankering after the fleshpots of Egypt and weeping for flesh to eat. Depraved appetite indulged in Egypt had led them to crave animal food, so they were not satisfied and craved flesh meat with mourning and murmuring.

They were told to sanctify themselves because they would eat flesh for weeping in the ears of the Lord and saying it was well with them in Egypt. God granted their desire and gave that vast multitude quails in abundance to gratify their appetite. Then He let plague come while the flesh was still between their teeth, and when their transgression brought its result He did not work a miracle to preserve life. Thousands were destroyed, many dying while eating, and nearly all who left Egypt died in the wilderness instead of entering Canaan.

God is displeased when appetite controls His people, and gratification of appetite helped bring Israel to ruin. Indulgence of appetite for meat brings deadly consequence and dulls discernment. Practicing health reform with temperance in eating and drinking gives clearer minds to discern what does and does not affect the salvation of the soul, which ministers especially need.