“And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.”
Context is important when studying a verse, so let’s explore the surrounding verses to gain a better understanding:
Numbers 11:24-29 (KJV) provides the context for verse 30:
“And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”
In this passage, Moses had gathered seventy elders around the tabernacle as instructed by God. The Lord took some of the spirit that was upon Moses and bestowed it upon these elders. As a result, they began prophesying under the influence of the Spirit.
However, two men named Eldad and Medad, who were among those chosen but had not gone to the tabernacle, also received the Spirit and began prophesying in the camp. A young man informed Moses about this, and Joshua, Moses’ servant, suggested that they should be stopped. But Moses, in his wisdom, responded by saying that he wished all the Lord’s people were prophets and that God would pour out His Spirit upon them.
This passage highlights the fact that God’s Spirit is not limited or restricted to a select few individuals. God’s desire is for His Spirit to be poured out on all His people so that they may prophesy and participate in His work. Moses recognized that the work of God’s Spirit was not exclusive to a specific group but should be widespread among the people.
The verse you specifically mentioned, Numbers 11:30, simply states that Moses went into the camp along with the elders of Israel. It signifies Moses’ response to the situation and his desire to witness the prophesying of Eldad and Medad firsthand.
Overall, Numbers 11:30, within its context, highlights the inclusiveness of God’s Spirit and the desire for all believers to partake in His work. It teaches us that God’s Spirit can work through individuals regardless of their location or position, and that we should celebrate and encourage the spiritual gifts and callings of others.
