Medad is a biblical figure mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Numbers. He is one of the seventy elders chosen by Moses to assist in the leadership and governance of the Israelites during their wilderness journey. Medad's account is found in Numbers 11:24-29, where he is noted for an extraordinary event involving the Spirit of God.

Biblical Account

In Numbers 11, the Israelites are seen complaining about their hardships and expressing a desire for the foods they enjoyed in Egypt. In response to the people's grievances and Moses' own burden of leadership, God instructs Moses to gather seventy elders of Israel to share the responsibility of leading the people. These elders are to stand with Moses at the Tent of Meeting, where God will take some of the Spirit that is on Moses and place it on them, enabling them to help bear the burden of the people.

Numbers 11:24-25 states: "So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. He gathered seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on him and placed the Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they did not do so again."

Medad, along with Eldad, is unique among the seventy elders because they did not go out to the Tent of Meeting. Instead, they remained in the camp, yet the Spirit of God rested upon them, and they began to prophesy there. This unusual occurrence caused concern among some of the Israelites, including a young man who ran to report the event to Moses.

Joshua's Concern and Moses' Response

Joshua, the son of Nun and Moses' assistant, expressed concern over Medad and Eldad's prophesying in the camp. He urged Moses to stop them, perhaps fearing disorder or a challenge to Moses' authority. However, Moses' response is noteworthy for its humility and insight into the workings of God's Spirit.

Numbers 11:29 records Moses' reply: "But Moses replied, 'Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!'"

Moses' response highlights his desire for all of God's people to experience the empowerment of the Spirit, reflecting a vision of widespread prophetic activity and divine inspiration among the Israelites.

Theological Significance

Medad's experience, along with that of Eldad, serves as an early indication of the inclusive nature of God's Spirit, which is not confined to specific locations or individuals. This event foreshadows the later outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all believers, as seen in the New Testament at Pentecost (Acts 2). It underscores the principle that God's Spirit can work in unexpected ways and through unexpected people, challenging human expectations and structures.

Medad's account also emphasizes the importance of humility and openness to God's work, as demonstrated by Moses' reaction. Rather than being threatened by the prophesying of Medad and Eldad, Moses rejoices in the manifestation of God's Spirit, setting an example for leaders to welcome and encourage the diverse workings of God among His people.

Conclusion

Medad, though briefly mentioned, plays a significant role in illustrating the dynamic and inclusive nature of God's Spirit. His account encourages believers to remain open to the unexpected movements of God and to value the contributions of all members within the community of faith.Medad

he that measures; water of love

Medad

(love). [ELDAD AND MEDAD]

Medad

See ELDAD.

Love, one of the elders nominated to assist Moses in the government of the people. He and Eldad "prophesied in the camp" (Numbers 11:24-29). MEDAD

me'-dad (medhadh, "affectionate"): One of the 70 elders on whom the spirit of the Lord came in the days of Moses enabling them to prophesy. Medad and one other, Eldad, began to prophesy in the camp, away from the other elders who had assembled at the door of the tabernacle to hear God's message. Joshua suggested that Eldad and Medad be stopped, but Moses interceded on their behalf, saying, "Would that all Yahweh's people were prophets!" (Numbers 11:26-29). The subject-matter of their prophecy has been variously supplied by tradition. Compare the Palestine Targums at the place, the apocalyptic Book of Eldad and Modad, and Ba`al ha-Turim (ad loc.).

Ella Davis Isaacs

4312. Medad -- an Israelite
... 4311, 4312. Medad. 4313 . an Israelite. Transliteration: Medad Phonetic Spelling:
(may-dawd') Short Definition: Medad. ... NASB Word Usage Medad (2). Medad. ...
/hebrew/4312.htm - 6k

Eldad and Medad
... ELDAD AND MEDAD. BY REV. ALFRED ROWLAND, DD, LL.B. NUMBERS xi..24-30. Nothing
is known of these two men beyond the incident recorded ...
/.../milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/eldad and medad.htm

Hermas.
... Distractions, 24. Divorce, 21. Doddridge, Dr., 38. Domestic discipline, 11. Edad
and Medad, 12. Elect, the, 18, 30. sins of, 39. Eleutherus, 3, 4. ...
/.../clement/who is the rich man that shall be saved/hermas.htm

Thou who Answerest to the Name of Abraham, in that Thou Art Made ...
... to cease. In Eldad and Medad he made known, that his good will was altogether
this that all the people should prophesy. R., Blessed ...
/.../hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xix thou who answerest.htm

That the Word "In," in as Many Senses as it Bears, is Understood ...
... An instance of this is seen in Saul, [1235] and the seventy elders of the children
of Israel, except Eldad and Medad, with whom alone the Spirit appears to ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/chapter xxvi that the word.htm

October 26 Evening
... But he . . . rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun . . . ...
/.../anonymous/daily light on the daily path/october 26 evening.htm

Vision Second. Again, of his Neglect in Chastising his Talkative ...
... persecution; let us save our lives by momentarily denying Christ: we can turn again,
and the Lord is nigh to all who thus turn, as Eldad and Medad told the ...
/.../pastor/the pastor books first second third/vision second again of his.htm

Third Sunday Before Lent
... There were also the seventy elders who shared in the spirit of Moses, Eldad and
Medad in particular (Numbers 11, 27), and all the other great men aside from ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/third sunday before lent.htm

Take Ye Away the Stone.
... But that does not prove that they are wrong. Eldad and Medad were out of
the regular succession. Joshua wanted Moses to rebuke them. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/moody/to the work to the work/chapter i take ye away.htm

Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied ...
... In the Jerusalem Targum on Numbers 11:26 the prophecy of Eldad and Medad is supposed
to have been with regard to the war of the later days against Jerusalem ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix ix list of old.htm

Effects of Baptism and of Chrism.
... illustrates the freedom of the Spirit, and His independence of human agency, by
the gift of prophecy to the seventy elders, including Eldad and Medad: he then ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/chapter vi effects of baptism and.htm

Medad (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MEDAD. ... Ella Davis Isaacs. Multi-Version Concordance
Medad (2 Occurrences). Numbers 11:26 But two men remained in the camp. ...
/m/medad.htm - 8k

Eldad (2 Occurrences)
... the people. He, with Medad, prophesied in the camp instead of going with
the rest to the tabernacle, as Moses had commanded. This ...
/e/eldad.htm - 10k

Tent-circle (45 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:26 But two men were still in the tent-circle one of them named Eldad
and the other Medad: and the spirit came to rest on them; they were among those ...
/t/tent-circle.htm - 20k

Prophesy (96 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:26 And two of the men are left in the camp, the name of the one 'is'
Eldad, and the name of the second Medad, and the spirit resteth upon them, (and ...
/p/prophesy.htm - 38k

Runneth (36 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:27 and the young man runneth, and declareth to Moses, and saith,
'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' (YLT). ...
/r/runneth.htm - 16k

Registered (21 Occurrences)
... The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested
on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the ...
/r/registered.htm - 13k

Recorded (141 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:26 But there remained two 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 ...
/r/recorded.htm - 39k

Resteth (18 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:26 And two of the men are left in the camp, the name of the one 'is'
Eldad, and the name of the second Medad, and the spirit resteth upon them, (and ...
/r/resteth.htm - 11k

Described (16 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:26 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 ...
/d/described.htm - 11k

Declareth (71 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Numbers 11:27 and the young man runneth, and declareth to Moses, and
saith, 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' (YLT). ...
/d/declareth.htm - 27k

Who were Eldad and Medad? | GotQuestions.org

How many prophets are in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Questions about Numbers | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus