Original Word: אֶלְדָּד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Eldad
Pronunciation: el-dahd'
Phonetic Spelling: (el-dad')
KJV: Eldad
NASB: Eldad
Word Origin: [from H410 (אֵל - God) and H1730 (דּוֹד דּוֹד - beloved)]

1. God has loved
2. Eldad, an Israelite

Eldad

From 'el and dowd; God has loved; Eldad, an Israelite -- Eldad.

see HEBREW 'el

see HEBREW dowd

Word Origin
from el and dod
Definition
"God has loved," an Isr. name
NASB Translation
Eldad (2).

אֶלְדָּד proper name, masculine (God has loved, compare Sabean ורראל DHM^{ZMG 1883. 15}; see also יְדִידְיָה) one of the elders Numbers 11:26,27; probably = אֱלִידָד Numbers 34:21 where called a prince of Benjamin. — On proper names with אֵל compare those with אָב & אָח, & especially Nö^l.c.,, & (Sabean) DHM^{Epigr. Denkm. 88}.

Biblical Setting and Narrative

Eldad appears exclusively in the account of Numbers 11. Moses, overwhelmed by the burdens of leadership, is instructed by the LORD to gather seventy elders so that “I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them” (Numbers 11:17). Eldad and his companion Medad are among those chosen, yet they remain in the camp rather than assembling at the Tent of Meeting. Nevertheless, “the Spirit rested on them” and they “prophesied in the camp” (Numbers 11:26). Their unexpected prophetic activity prompts Joshua son of Nun to urge Moses to restrain them, but Moses replies, “Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:29).

Eldad and the Outpouring of the Spirit

1. Sovereign distribution: Eldad’s experience underscores that the Spirit’s gifting is not confined to geographic location or ritual setting. God pours out His Spirit where He wills (cf. John 3:8).
2. Equality among God’s servants: Though absent from the formal gathering, Eldad receives the same empowering as those present, prefiguring the later inclusivity of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:17–18).
3. Authentic prophecy: The text makes no distinction in quality between the prophecy outside the Tent and that within. Authenticity is measured by the presence of the Spirit, not by venue or human appointment.

Relationship to Leadership and Authority

Eldad’s prophecy challenges notions of centralized control. Joshua’s discomfort reveals a human tendency to guard established structures, whereas Moses celebrates spiritual empowerment wherever it appears. The incident teaches that true spiritual authority derives from God’s gifting and purpose, not institutional endorsement alone.

Foreshadowing of New Covenant Realities

Moses’ longing that “all the LORD’s people were prophets” anticipates Joel 2:28 and its New Testament fulfillment. Eldad thus functions as a signpost to the universal availability of the Spirit in Christ, where every believer may exercise Spirit-empowered ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Jewish and Early Christian Tradition

Post-biblical literature occasionally associates Eldad (and Medad) with eschatological prophecy, though Scripture itself remains silent beyond Numbers 11. Early Christian writers saw in Eldad a figure that foreshadows the charismatic gifts granted to the church, illustrating God’s freedom in choosing unlikely vessels.

Leadership Principles Illustrated

• Delegation under divine direction relieves burdens (Numbers 11:17).
• Humility welcomes God’s work in others (Moses), whereas insecurity resists it (Joshua’s initial reaction).
• Spiritual gifts are for service within the community, whether exercised inside formal structures or within everyday life in the “camp.”

Practical Applications

• Recognize and affirm God-given gifts in every believer, irrespective of status or location.
• Guard against jealousy or exclusivity when others exhibit unexpected spiritual effectiveness.
• Cultivate the same pastoral heart as Moses, desiring widespread prophetic insight and spiritual vitality among God’s people.

Key Passages

Numbers 11:26 – “Yet two men had remained in the camp—one named Eldad and the other Medad—and the Spirit rested on them…yet they prophesied in the camp.”

Numbers 11:29 – “Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!”

אֶלְדָּ֡ד אֶלְדָּ֣ד אלדד ’el·dāḏ ’eldāḏ elDadInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts