Numbers 11:17

17 And I wyll come doune and talke with the there and take of yt spirite which is apon the and put apon them ad they shall bere with the in the burthen of the people and so shalt thou not beare alone.

Numbers 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 11:17

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 ( 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 ) ( 2 Kings 2:9 2 Kings 2:15 ) ; 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.

Numbers 11:17 In-Context

15 Wherfore yf thou deale thus with me kyll me I praye the yf I haue founde fauoure in thi syght and let me not se my wrechidnesse.
16 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: gather vnto me .lxx. of the elders of Ysrael which thou knowest that they are the elders of ye peple and officers ouer them and brynge them vnto the tabernacle of witnesse and let them stonde there with the.
17 And I wyll come doune and talke with the there and take of yt spirite which is apon the and put apon them ad they shall bere with the in the burthen of the people and so shalt thou not beare alone.
18 And saye vnto ye people: halowe youre selues agenst to morow that ye maye eate flesh for ye haue whyned in the eares of the Lorde saynge: who shall geue vs flesh to eate for we were happie when we were in Egipte? therfore the Lorde will geue you flesh and ye shall eate:
19 Ye shall not eate one daye only ether .ij. or .v. dayes ether .x. or .xx. dayes:
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