Numbers 11:25

“And the Lord came down in a cloud, etc.] In a cloud of glory, or a glorious one, as the Targums; either in the same that went before the people in the wilderness, or in one distinct from it, and only used on this occasion, as a visible token of the presence of God: and spake unto him; to Moses, talked with him, as he said he would, (<041117>Numbers 11:17); and took of the Spirit which [was] upon him, and gave [it] unto the seventy elders; (see Gill on “<041117>Numbers 11:17”); and it came to pass [that] when the Spirit rested upon them they prophesied; either they sung the praises of God, which is sometimes the sense of prophesying, (<132501>1 Chronicles 25:1-3); blessing God for the honour…”

“when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease--As those elders were constituted civil governors, their "prophesying" must be understood as meaning the performance of their civil and sacred duties by the help of those extraordinary endowments they had received; and by their not "ceasing" we understand, either that they continued to exercise their gifts uninterruptedly the first day (see Sa1 19:24), or that these were permanent gifts, which qualified them in an eminent degree for discharging the duty of public magistrates.”

“Occurrences at Kibroth-hattavah. Numbers 11:4 The mixt multitude - The word in the original resembles our “riff-raff,” and denotes a mob of people scraped together. It refers here to the multitude of strangers (see Exodus 12:38) who had followed the Israelites from Egypt. Numbers 11:5 The natural dainties of Egypt are set forth in this passage with the fullness and relish which bespeak personal experience. Numbers 11:6-7 There is nothing at all ... - literally, “Nought at all have we except that our eyes are unto this manna;” i. e. “Nought else have we to expect beside this manna.” On the manna see Exodus 16:15 note; on bdellium see Genesis 2:12 note. Numbers 11:10 The weeping was general;…”

“Rested on them - Not only moved them for a time, but took up his settled abode with them, because the use and end of this gift was perpetual. They prophesied - Discoursed of the word and works of God in a marvellous manner, as the prophets did. So this word is used, Sa1 10:5-6; Joe 2:28; Co1 14:3. Yet were they not hereby constituted teachers, but civil magistrates, who together with the spirit of government, received also the spirit of prophesy, as a sign and seal both to themselves and to the people, that God had called them to that employment. They did not cease - Either for that day, they continued in that exercise all that day, and, it may be, all the night too, as it is said of Saul,…”

“11:25 We are not told what happened when the Spirit rested upon them and they prophesied. Whatever happened (possibly ecstatic utterances; cp. Acts 2:4; 1 Cor 14:2), it was a unique occurrence.”

“came down: Num 11:17, Num 12:5; Exo 34:5, Exo 40:38; Psa 99:7; Luk 9:34, Luk 9:35 took: Num 11:17; Kg2 2:15; Jam 1:17 gave it: From this place, Origen and Theodoret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp, at which seventy others were lighted, without any diminution of its lustre. they prophesied: By prophesying here we are to understand, their performing those civil and sacred functions for which they were qualified; exhorting the people to quiet and peaceable submission, and to trust and confidence in the providence of God. Sa1 10:5, Sa1 10:6, Sa1 10:10, Sa1 19:20-24; Jer 36:5, Jer 36:6; Joe 2:28, Joe 2:29; Act 2:17, Act 2:18; Act 11:28, Act 21:9-11; Co1 11:4, Co1 11:5, Co1 14:1-3, Co1…”