SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:17
Y yo descenderé y hablaré allí contigo; y tomaré del espíritu que está en ti, y pondré en ellos; y llevarán contigo la carga del pueblo, y no la llevarás tú solo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 11:17
Verse 17. I will take of the spirit which is upon thee] From this place Origen and Theodouret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp, at which seventy others were lighted, without losing any of its brightness. To convince Moses that God had sufficiently qualified him for the work which he had given him to do, he tells him that of the gifts and graces which he has given him he will qualify seventy persons to bear the charge with him. This was probably intended as a gracious reproof. Query. Did not Moses lose a measure of his gifts in this business? And is it not right that he whom God has called to and qualified for some particular office, should lose those gifts which he either undervalues or refuses to employ for God in the way appointed? Is there not much reason to believe that many cases have occurred where the spiritual endowments of particular persons have been taken away and given to others who made a better use of them? Hence the propriety of that exhortation, Rev. iii. 11: Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. The gracious God never called a man to perform a work without furnishing him with adequate strength; and to refuse to do it on the pretense of inability is little short of rebellion against God. This institution of the seventy persons to help Moses the rabbins consider as the origin of their grand council called the Sanhedrin. But we find that a council of seventy men, elders of Israel, had existed among the people a year before this time. See Exod. xxiv. 9; see the advice given to Jethro to Moses, Exod. xviii. 17, &c., and the notes there.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. And I will come down and talk with thee there , etc.] 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 2:9,15); 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-23 - Moses is to choose such as he knew to be elders, that is, wise an experienced men. God promises to qualify them. If they were not foun fit for the employ, they should be made fit. Even the discontente people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped. Se here, I. The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy, but they will not satisfy. Spiritual pleasures alone will satisfy and last As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it. 2. What brutish sin gluttony and drunkenness are! they make that to hurt the body whic should be its health. Moses objects. Even true and great believer sometimes find it hard to trust God under the discouragements of secon causes, and against hope to believe in hope. God here brings Moses to this point, The Lord God is Almighty; and puts the proof upon the issue, Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass or not. If he speaks, it is done.
Original Hebrew
וירדתי 3381 ודברתי 1696 עמך 5973 שׁם 8033 ואצלתי 680 מן 4480 הרוח 7307 אשׁר 834 עליך 5921 ושׂמתי 7760 עליהם 5921 ונשׂאו 5375 אתך 854 במשׂא 4853 העם 5971 ולא 3808 תשׂא 5375 אתה 859 לבדך׃ 905
