Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 11:17
And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee, and will put [it] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone.
Verse 17. I will take of the spirit which is upon thee] From this place Origen and Theodoret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp, at which seventy others were lighted, without losing any of its brightness. To convince Moses that God had sufficiently qualified him for the work which he had given him to do, he tells him that of the gifts and graces which he has given him he will qualify seventy persons to bear the charge with him. This was probably intended as a gracious reproof. Query. Did not Moses lose a measure of his gifts in this business? And is it not right that he whom God has called to and qualified for some particular office, should lose those gifts which he either undervalues or refuses to employ for God in the way appointed? Is there not much reason to believe that many cases have occurred where the spiritual endowments of particular persons have been taken away and given to others who made a better use of them? Hence the propriety of that exhortation, Re 3:11: Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
The gracious God never called a man to perform a work without furnishing him with adequate strength; and to refuse to do it on the pretence of inability is little short of rebellion against God.
This institution of the seventy persons to help Moses the rabbins consider as the origin of their grand council called the Sanhedrin. But we find that a council of seventy men, elders of Israel, had existed among the people a year before this time. See Ex 24:9; see the advice given to Jethro to Moses, Ex 18:17, &c., and the notes there.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I will come down, not by local motion, but by my powerful presence and operation. See Gen 11:5; Exo 34:5.
Will put it upon them, i.e. I will give the same Spirit to them which I have given to thee. But as the Spirit was not conveyed to them from or through Moses, but immediately from God, so the Spirit or its gifts were not by this means impaired in Moses. The Spirit is here put for the gifts of the Spirit, as it is Num 27:18; Joe 2:28; Joh 7:39; Act 19:2,6; 1Co 14:12,32; and particularly for the Spirit of prophecy, Num 11:25, whereby they were enabled, as Moses had been and still was, to discern hidden and future things, and resolve doubtful and difficult cases, which made them fit for government. It is observable, that God would not, and therefore men should not, call any persons to any office for which they were not sufficiently fit and qualified.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. I will come downthat is,not in a visible manner or by local descent, but by the tokens of thedivine presence and operations.
and I will take of the spiritwhich is upon thee“The spirit” means the gifts andinfluences of the Spirit (Num 27:18;Joe 2:28; Joh 7:39;1Co 14:12), and by “takingthe spirit of Moses, and putting it upon them,” is not to beunderstood that the qualities of the great leader were to be in anydegree impaired but that the elders would be endowed with a portionof the same gifts, especially of prophecy (Nu11:25) that is, an extraordinary penetration in discoveringhidden and settling difficult things.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I will come down and talk with thee there,…. Descend from heaven, by some visible token of his power and presence, and in a friendly manner converse with him face to face; which was an instance of great condescension and grace, and especially when Moses had showed a very froward peevish spirit; yet all is overlooked, and the Lord vouchsafes the most intimate communion with him, and does him honour before the people:
and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee; the spirit of government, and the spirit of prophecy, the gifts of the spirit qualifying for these things, of which Moses had a large measure:
and will put [it] upon them; that is, gifts of the same kind with his; not that his gifts were diminished, or that properly speaking anything was taken from Moses and given to the seventy elders; but from the same fountain and fulness of the spirit Moses partook of, they were furnished with like gifts and qualifications, he having not at all the less for what was communicated to them; see 1Co 12:4; several of the Jewish writers, and particularly Jarchi, illustrate it by the lamp in the golden candlestick in the sanctuary, which was always burning, and at which all the rest were lighted, without any diminution of its light at all:
and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone: assist in the government of them, take part in all weighty and difficult matters, hear the complaints of the people, and bear a share of the blame and reproach they at any time should cast upon their rulers.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) And I will come down . . . The cloud which hovered over the Tabernacle appears to have descended to the entrance of it (Num. 11:25). (Comp. Exo. 33:9; Num. 12:5; Deu. 31:15).
I will take of the spirit which is upon thee . . . These words do not imply that there was any diminution of the gifts bestowed upon Moses, but that a portion of those spiritual gifts was bestowed upon the seventy. Rashi compares the mode of bestowal with the manner in which the other lamps of the Sanctuary were lighted at the golden candlestick without diminishing the light from which theirs was taken.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. I will come down Not figuratively, but by a literal descent in the pillar of cloud, as in Num 11:25. Chaldee, “I will manifest myself.” Targum of Palestine, “I will be revealed in the glory of my shekinah.” There is no record of the words of Jehovah to Moses on this occasion.
I will take of the spirit The Hebrew for take is an unusual word here, signifying to divide into portions. The elders were to share, but probably in a less degree, the charismata, or special gifts of wisdom and administration which Moses possessed. There was to be no diminution of the endowment of Moses. The Targum of Palestine says: “I will amplify the spirit of prophecy that is upon thee, and bestow it upon them.” Hence Origen and Theodoret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp at which seventy others were lighted without diminishing its lustre. Dr. Adam Clarke, however, queries whether Moses did not lose a measure of his gifts at this time because he had undervalued them, in accordance with the great law that a spiritual gift unused or slighted declines.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Not that the LORD lessened the influences of his HOLY SPIRIT on the mind of Moses, in order to impart the same to others. There is enough in GOD to supply all. One sun warms and enlightens the whole world. Reader! how sweet the thought; there is enough in our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Sun of righteousness, to warm and enlighten all his people. And though he hath been, and still is, and ever will be, supplying out of his fullness the millions of his churches, in all ages and in eternity itself; yet has he, in himself, the same unlessened fulness. Heb 13:8 ; Col 2:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee, and will put [it] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone.
Ver. 17. And I will take of the spirit, ] i.e., I will bestow the same spirit upon them as upon thee; and this shall be nothing at all to thy loss or disadvantage. Habet Hispania montem ex sale magnum, de quo quantum demas, tantum accrescit.
Shall bear the burden of the people.
a Thucyd.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
take of = withdraw.
spirit. Hebrew. ruach, spirit, put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Compare 1Co 12:4. See App-9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will come: Num 11:25, Num 12:5, Gen 11:5, Gen 18:21, Exo 19:11, Exo 19:20, Exo 34:5, Joh 3:13
talk with: Num 12:8, Gen 17:3, Gen 17:22, Gen 18:20-22, Gen 18:33
I will take: Num 27:18, 1Sa 10:6, 2Ki 2:9, 2Ki 2:15, Neh 9:20, Isa 44:3, Isa 59:20, Isa 59:21, Joe 2:28, Joh 7:39, Rom 8:9, 1Co 2:12, 1Co 12:4-11, 1Th 4:8, 1Pe 1:22, Jud 1:19
they shall: Exo 18:22, Act 6:3, Act 6:4
Reciprocal: Gen 6:3 – My Exo 33:9 – talked Num 1:16 – the renowned Num 16:25 – General Num 27:20 – put some Deu 1:9 – I am not Deu 1:13 – Take Deu 31:28 – Gather unto me Deu 34:9 – full of the spirit Jdg 3:10 – the Spirit 1Sa 16:13 – the Spirit Isa 28:6 – for a spirit Isa 63:11 – where is he that put Dan 4:8 – and in Luk 10:2 – the Lord Act 7:34 – and am 1Co 12:28 – helps Jam 1:17 – good
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 11:17. I will come down By my powerful presence and operation. I will put it on them That is, I will give the same spirit to them which I have given to thee. The spirit is here put for the gifts of the Spirit, and particularly for the spirit of prophecy, whereby they were enabled, as Moses had been and still was, to discern hidden and future things, and resolve doubtful and difficult cases, which made them fit for government. It is observable that God would not, and therefore men should not, call any persons to any office for which they were not sufficiently qualified.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: {k} and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee, and will put [it] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone.
(k) I will distribute my spirit among them, as I have done to you.