Who Were Eldad and Meidad? The Prophets Who Stepped Aside

Eldad and Meidad appear briefly in the Book of Numbers, yet their story left a deep imprint on Jewish thought. Through Midrash and Talmudic tradition, their identities, humility, and prophetic role reveal a powerful lesson about leadership and spiritual greatness.

According to a tradition in Midrash Tanchuma, Eldad and Meidad were tribal leaders. Eldad is identified as Eldad, also known as Elidad son of Kisalon, from the tribe of Benjamin, while Meidad is Meidad, identified as Kemuel son of Shifton from the tribe of Ephraim.

Other traditions present a very different picture. One opinion teaches that after the giving of the Torah, when certain family relationships became prohibited, Amram and Jochebed, the parents of Moses, separated, since Jochebed was Amram’s aunt. According to this view, Eldad and Meidad were Moses’ half-brothers from his father, who married another woman. This opinion is cited by the Tannaim in their discussion of Numbers 11:27.

Another tradition suggests that Eldad and Meidad were Moses’ maternal half-brothers. According to the Keter Yonatan translation by Rabbi Yonatan ben Uzziel, Jochebed later married Elitzafan son of Parnach, and Eldad and Meidad were born from that union.

The Humility of Eldad and Meidad

When the Jewish people sinned through their craving for meat, Moses turned to Hashem for help in leading the nation. Hashem instructed him to appoint seventy elders from among the people, upon whom a portion of Moses’ prophetic spirit would rest. As the Torah describes, seventy elders were gathered around the Tent of Meeting, and when the divine spirit rested upon them, they began to prophesy.

Each tribe was asked to select six candidates, creating a group of seventy-two elders, even though only seventy positions were needed. Moses therefore conducted a lottery, knowing that two men would ultimately not be chosen.

Eldad and Meidad, who were among the seventy-two, declared, “We are not worthy of this greatness.” Because of their humility, Hashem elevated them even further, as the Talmud teaches: “Since you have made yourselves small, I will add greatness to your greatness” (Sanhedrin 17a).

The sages disagree on the precise sequence of events. Some maintain that Eldad and Meidad were not selected in the lottery and accepted this outcome with love and humility. Others say that when they heard about the lottery in advance, they withdrew on their own and declared themselves unworthy. Another opinion holds that they were in fact selected among the seventy, but voluntarily relinquished their place and did not go to the Tent of Meeting.

The Prophecies of Eldad and Meidad

Unlike the other elders, Eldad and Meidad remained in the camp rather than going to the Tent of Meeting. There, they began to prophesy publicly. According to one tradition, they foretold the passing of Moses and the future leadership of Joshua son of Nun, who would lead the people into the Land of Israel.

The Talmud records additional opinions, suggesting that their prophecy concerned future peace or the events surrounding Gog and Magog (Sanhedrin 17a).

Though they appear only briefly in the biblical narrative, Eldad and Meidad stand as enduring symbols of humility, spiritual integrity, and leadership that arises not from seeking honor, but from stepping away from it.