Bearing the Whole People

“I along am not able to carry all this people,” Moses says when Israel complains about hunger in the wilderness. “If You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once” (Numbers 11:14-15). Yahweh responds by ordered Moses to gather 70 men from the people, on whom He promises to put His Spirit (vv. 16-17).

“Yahweh, take my life,” Elijah says, “for I am not better than my fathers” (1 Kings 19:4). Elijah is distraught because “I alone am left” (vv. 10, 14). Yahweh feeds him, assures him that there are 7000 left who do not worship Baal, and orders him to throw his mantle over Elisha who will become his apprentice and eventual replacement.

The two incidents are clearly parallel, reinforcing the multiple similarities between Moses and Elijah. One of the things that stands out is the parallel between the elders whom Moses appoints and Elisha. The elders receive the Lord’s Spirit to serve as judges alongside Moses; Elisha receives Elijah’s mantle (1 Kings 19:19) and eventually a double portion of the Spirit of Elijah (2 Kings 2). Elisha stands in the slot occupied by the elders in the previous story.

It might seem odd that Elijah would receive only a single assistant, while Moses receives 70. The parallel leads the reader to expect that Elijah would get more help. And he does: In contrast to Elijah, who is often a lone prophet, Elisha carries out his work constantly surrounded by others. Elisha receives a “double portion” of Elijah’s Spirit, the portion of the firstborn, but if Elisha is a “firstborn” of Elijah, that implies that there are others, sons of the prophets or, perhaps, sons of the prophet, sons of Elijah.

If I had to guess, I’d guess that there were 70 of them.