The Meaning of Numbers 11:26 Explained

Numbers 11:26

KJV: 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; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

YLT: 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 they are among those written, and have not gone out to the tent), and they prophesy in the camp;

Darby: And two men remained in the camp, the name of the one, Eldad, and the name of the other, Medad; and the Spirit rested upon them (and they were among them that were written, but they had not gone out to the tent); and they prophesied in the camp.

ASV: 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 were of them that were written, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; and they [were] of them that were written,  but went not out  unto the tabernacle:  and they prophesied  in the camp. 

What does Numbers 11:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 11:26-35 - "the Graves Of Lust"
It is delightful to note the proof of the nobility of Moses' nature in the answer he gave to the tidings concerning Eldad and Medad. They might not be of the designated group of elders, and might not have gone out to the Tabernacle, as in Numbers 11:16. They remind us of the unordained and simple disciples of Acts 11:19, etc. But there was no envy in Moses' nature. He would have been only thankful if all had reached a degree of grace even beyond his own attainment.
The quails came. They flew in prodigious flocks, which darkened the air. Exhausted by their long flight, they hovered within three feet of the ground, and so were easily captured. But the passionate haste in eating brought its own terrible nemesis to the Israelites. The story became engraved in the very name given to their halting place, Psalms 106:15. My soul, beware lest thou also be precipitated by thy passionate desires into that gravel Galatians 5:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 11

1  The burning at Taberah quenched by Moses' prayer
4  The people crave meat, and loathe manna
10  Moses complains of his charge
16  God promises to divide his burden unto seventy elders,
18  and to give the people meat for a month
21  Moses' faith is staggered
31  Quails are given in wrath at Kibroth Hattaavah

What do the individual words in Numbers 11:26 mean?

But had remained two men in the camp the name of one [was] Eldad and the name of the second Medad And rested upon them the Spirit and they [were] among those listed but not who had gone out to the tabernacle and yet they prophesied in the camp
וַיִּשָּׁאֲר֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־ אֲנָשִׁ֣ים ׀ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֡ה שֵׁ֣ם הָאֶחָ֣ד ׀ אֶלְדָּ֡ד וְשֵׁם֩ הַשֵּׁנִ֨י מֵידָ֜ד וַתָּ֧נַח עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם הָר֗וּחַ וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ בַּכְּתֻבִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָצְא֖וּ הָאֹ֑הֱלָה וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה

וַיִּשָּׁאֲר֣וּ  But  had  remained 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁאַר  
Sense: to remain, be left over, be left behind.
שְׁנֵֽי־  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
אֲנָשִׁ֣ים ׀  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֡ה  in  the  camp 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
שֵׁ֣ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הָאֶחָ֣ד ׀  of  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
אֶלְדָּ֡ד  [was]  Eldad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְדָּד 
Sense: one of the two elders who prophesied in the Israelite camp.
וְשֵׁם֩  and  the  name 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הַשֵּׁנִ֨י  of  the  second 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שֵׁנִי  
Sense: second.
מֵידָ֜ד  Medad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֵידָד  
Sense: one of the 70 elders to whom was communicated the prophetic power of Moses and who prophesied in the camp of the Israelites in the wilderness.
וַתָּ֧נַח  And  rested 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָר֗וּחַ  the  Spirit 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
וְהֵ֙מָּה֙  and  they  [were] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
בַּכְּתֻבִ֔ים  among  those  listed 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָצְא֖וּ  who  had  gone  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
הָאֹ֑הֱלָה  to  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ  and  yet  they  prophesied 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָבָא  
Sense: to prophesy.
בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה  in  the  camp 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.