An unusual event disrupts the routine of the Israelite camp when two men experience divine revelation outside the designated Tabernacle. This unexpected occurrence sparks panic, leading to a rushed report to the nation's leader. The messenger is understood to be a well-known figure who served Moses [שפתי חכמים, אבן עזרא, ביאור יש"ר]. The primary approach among commentators is that this young man was Gershom, Moses' own firstborn son [רש"י, רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן, דעת זקנים, גור אריה]. Another perspective suggests he was the specific servant Moses had previously dispatched to summon the elders to the Tabernacle, now returning with startling news [העמק דבר]. Unaware of the broader context regarding the selection of the elders, the young man ran in a state of alarm, viewing the spontaneous prophecy as a bizarre and concerning phenomenon [מלבי"ם, The Torah].
The identities of the two prophesying men, Eldad and Medad, are a subject of deep discussion. One tradition suggests they were Moses' paternal half-brothers. According to this view, after the Torah was given and marriages to certain relatives were forbidden, Amram separated from Jochebed, who was his aunt. He then married another woman, and from that union, Eldad and Medad were born. Their names are seen as allusions to this event, reflecting the absence of the forbidden aunt and questioning the nature of the relationship [פני דוד, רא"ש, דעת זקנים]. Another opinion posits that they were the sons of Elizaphan and Jochebed from a previous marriage that predated her union with Amram [הכתב והקבלה]. Conversely, some identify them as specific leaders from the tribes of Israel: Elidad the son of Chislon from the tribe of Benjamin, and Kemuel the son of Shiphtan from the tribe of Ephraim [פני דוד, רא"ש, דעת זקנים, שפתי כהן].
The primary cause for the camp's shock was the location of their revelation. Instead of standing at the Tabernacle with the other elders, the two men remained in the camp, yet the spirit of prophecy rested upon them regardless [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This raised heavy concerns. First, it appeared they were defying Moses, who had explicitly instructed the elders to gather at the Tabernacle. Second, remaining in the camp created the impression that they did not need Moses as a spiritual conduit, receiving their prophecy directly from God. This was perceived as a direct affront to Moses' authority, akin to a student issuing a ruling in the presence of his teacher [אור החיים, מלבי"ם].
However, commentators reveal that their absence from the Tabernacle actually stemmed from profound humility. They felt entirely unworthy of such greatness and of being counted among the seventy elders. As a reward for this genuine humility, God granted them a direct and far more powerful prophecy than that of the other elders. While the others prophesied only for a limited time before ceasing, the prophecy of these two men was continuous. Furthermore, they earned the distinct honor of having their names explicitly recorded in the Torah and eventually entering the Land of Israel [תורה תמימה, דעת זקנים, שפתי כהן].
Regarding the content of their vision, the central tradition indicates they foresaw a dramatic transition in leadership: Moses would die in the desert, and Joshua would be the one to lead the Israelites into the land [שפתי כהן, קיצור בעל הטורים, חנוכת התורה, דעת זקנים]. Others suggest they prophesied about events in the distant future, such as the ultimate apocalyptic war of Gog and Magog [דעת זקנים]. From a completely different angle, the young man's frantic run to Moses was not meant to spread panic or gossip, but rather to deliver comforting news. Moses had been deeply concerned that the incoming provision of quail meat, which was destined to bring disaster and death upon the people, would be channeled through his own spiritual merit. When the youth informed him that the two men were prophesying independently in the camp, Moses realized that the divine abundance was flowing directly from God and not through him, successfully lifting a heavy burden of worry from his heart [חתם סופר].