The Meaning of Numbers 11:16 Explained

Numbers 11:16

KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou hast known that they are elders of the people, and its authorities; and thou hast taken them unto the tent of meeting, and they have stationed themselves there with thee,

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and their officers; and take them to the tent of meeting, and they shall stand there with thee.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Gather  unto me seventy  men  of the elders  of Israel,  whom thou knowest  to be the elders  of the people,  and officers  over them; and bring  them unto the tabernacle  of the congregation,  that they may stand  there with thee. 

What does Numbers 11:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 11:16-25 - God's Spirit Upon The Seventy
God's considerateness for His overwrought servant was very tender. He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. He does not chide, nor keep His anger forever. The remedy for the situation was provided in the appointment and enduement of the seventy elders, who became the germ of the Sanhedrin.
Moses' depression led to unbelief. It seemed impossible to suppose that God could provide a table in the wilderness of such magnitude that in it the whole host could participate. Unbelief says, Can God? Faith answers, God can! See Psalms 78:19. Child of God! God's hand is not waxed short, that it cannot reach to you. Even if we believe not, He remains faithful, 2 Timothy 2:13. This equipment of the elders, Numbers 11:25, reminds us that we, too, need to receive the Holy Spirit, first for our sanctification in character, and then for our service and office. This is the special characteristic of Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4. [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 11:16 mean?

So said Yahweh to Moses Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom you know that they [are] the elders of the people and officers over them and bring them the tabernacle of meeting that they may stand there with you
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶסְפָה־ לִּ֞י שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִישׁ֮ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּי־ הֵ֛ם זִקְנֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם וְשֹׁטְרָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ אֹתָם֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֥וּ שָׁ֖ם עִמָּֽךְ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֶסְפָה־  Gather 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
לִּ֞י  to  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
שִׁבְעִ֣ים  seventy 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שִׁבְעִים  
Sense: seventy.
אִישׁ֮  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִזִּקְנֵ֣י  of  the  elders 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָדַ֔עְתָּ  you  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הֵ֛ם  they  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
זִקְנֵ֥י  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הָעָ֖ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְשֹׁטְרָ֑יו  and  officers  over  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁטַר  
Sense: (Qal) official, officer.
וְלָקַחְתָּ֤  and  bring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֹ֣הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֔ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֥וּ  that  they  may  stand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָצַב 
Sense: to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself.
עִמָּֽךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.