Early Jewish Writings | Early Christian Writings

Eldad and Modad

Prior to the Second Century A.D.

Online Text for Eldad and Modad

• Not available.

Online Resources for Eldad and Modad

• Jewish Encyclopedia: Eldad and Medad
• Summary of a lecture by J. R. Davila

Offline Resources for Eldad and Modad

• The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume Two

Information on Eldad and Modad

Emil Schürer writes: "This was a writing that was circulated under the name of the two Israelites [Eldad and Modad], who according to Num. xi. 26-29 uttered certain predictions in the camp during the march through the wilderness. Besides being mentioned in the lists of the Apocrypha, this book is also quoted in the Shepherd of Hermas, and that as a genuine prophetical work. According to the Targum of Jonathan on Num. xi. 26-29, the predictions of the two personages here in question had reference chiefly to Magog's final attack upon the congregation of Israel. But whether this may be regarded as indicating what the theme of our book is likely to have been is extremely doubtful." (The Literature of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus, p. 129)

James Charlesworth writes: "According to Numbers 11:24-30, Eldad and Modad (Medad) are two of the seventy elders who received the spirit and prophesied while the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses. The Stichometry of Nicephorus indicates that the book contained 400 lines, but only the following is extant: '"The Lord is near those that turn to him," as it is written in the book of Eldad and Modat, who prophesied to the people in the wilderness.'" (The Pseudepigrapha and Modern Research, p. 95)

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