Medad

Medad is one of the seventy elders enrolled to share in the Spirit that rested on Moses, remembered for prophesying in the camp rather than at the Tent of Meeting.

In the Camp

Numbers records the moment when the Spirit fell not only on the elders gathered around the Tent but on two who had stayed behind: "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 on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp" (Num 11:26). News reaches Moses through a young runner: "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp" (Num 11:27).

Joshua's Objection and Moses' Reply

Joshua, Moses' minister, urges Moses to silence them: "My lord Moses, forbid them" (Num 11:28). Moses refuses the request and reframes the moment: "Are you jealous for my sake? Oh that all Yahweh's people were prophets, that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them!" (Num 11:29). The episode places Medad among those on whom the Spirit rested apart from the appointed gathering, and stands as Moses' open wish that prophetic gifting would extend to the whole people.