Home › Glossary › Letter E

Eldad

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An elder who prophesied in the camp during the giving of the Spirit in Numbers 11.

Detailed Definition
Eldad, with Medad, prophesied unexpectedly, prompting Moses’ wish that all God’s people prophesy. In poetry, he symbolizes spontaneous divine inspiration, the democratization of prophecy, and the Spirit’s freedom beyond institutional control.
Example
Example in poetry:
Eldad—one of the seventy elders who prophesied—inspires Spirit-led poetry: “Eldad prophesied in the camp, though he never reached the tent”; A poem on unexpected anointing: “Moses said, ‘Would that all were like Eldad!’—and the Spirit agrees”; In a minimalist verse: “Eldad: outside the center, full of the Spirit”; Liturgical reflection: “Blessed Eldad, who proved prophecy needs no permission.”
Additional Notes
Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp without Moses’ direct commission (Numbers 11:26–29), prompting Moses’ famous wish: “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets!” Their story celebrates spontaneous Spirit-led utterance beyond institutional control. In poetry, Eldad symbolizes charismatic authority, inclusive prophecy, and the democratization of divine inspiration.
Also Known As
God loved prophetic elder spirit bearer
Skip to main content