(Elʹdad) [possibly, God Has Loved].

One of the 70 older men selected by Moses to assist him in carrying the load of the people. Because of murmuring on the part of the mixed crowd and also the Israelites about the manna and not having meat to eat, Moses voiced the feeling that the load was too heavy for him alone. Therefore Jehovah directed Moses to gather 70 older men and take them to the tent of meeting. Two of these older men, Eldad and Medad, however, did not go to the tent of meeting but, undoubtedly for a valid reason, remained in the camp. Jehovah then proceeded to take some of the spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the older men; these, in turn, began to prophesy. The spirit also settled down upon Eldad and Medad, and they began to act as prophets in the camp. This was reported to Moses, and when Joshua, feeling jealous for Moses, requested that he restrain them, Moses replied: “No, I wish that all of Jehovah’s people were prophets, because Jehovah would put his spirit upon them!”​—Nu 11:13-29.