Illustration created for this project.
Eldad
One of two elders who prophesied in the camp; Moses welcomed it, wishing all God's people were prophets.
What we know — and how we know it
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1
Prophecy & fulfilment
Ancient writersA now-lost Jewish pseudepigraphon titled Eldad and Modat, elaborating the prophesying of these two elders, circulated in antiquity; it is quoted by name in the early Christian work the Shepherd of Hermas, showing their prophetic episode generated its own extra-biblical literature.
Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 2.3.4, which cites 'Eldad and Modat' (Modad) as a written source; the underlying book itself does not survive.
Name & titles
ScholarlyEldad (Hebrew ʾEldad) is a theophoric name combining ʾEl ('God') with the root d-d/dad ('to love'), yielding roughly 'God has loved' or 'beloved of God' — fitting for one of the elders singled out for the divine spirit.
Hebrew onomastic analysis of the elements ʾel + dad ('love/beloved').