Medad

From Bible Encyclopedia

mē´dad (מידד, mēdhādh, “affectionate” or "love"):

One of the 70 elders nominated to assist Moses in the government of the people, 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 11:24-29). 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-ṭūrīm (ad loc.).