Numbers 11:16,17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me— Though it cannot be denied that the remonstrance of Moses was rather over-passionate, and favoured much of human imperfection, yet, gracious and condescending, the Lord is pleased to shew no signs of displeasure, but gratifies the request of Moses, by ordering seventy persons of gravity and authority to attend him at the tabernacle; where, promising to manifest himself, he assures Moses, that he will put upon them some of the spirit which is given to him; that is, would endue them with the same spirit of government, or with those gifts of wisdom, judgment, courage, &c. bestowed upon Moses: for, the spirit is often put for the gifts of the spirit, or spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:31.Galatians 3:5. To shew that Moses lost nothing by this communication of the Spirit, the Jews make use of the similitude of a candle, which, in giving light to others, loses none of its own light. The phrase, they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, plainly alludes to Moses's complaint in the 11th and 14th verses, and signifies that they should take part of the fatigue arising from the government of this unruly people. The rabbis make this the original institution of their Sanhedrim; which, they say, lasted from Moses to the end of the republic: but to this tradition of their's learned writers find it difficult to subscribe. See Calmet's dissertation Sur la Police des Heb. Lowman thinks that these seventy extraordinary elders were coadjutors "to Moses in his council, how to answer the people's complaints; that they were a constant privy-council to the judge; a considerable part of the states-general of the united tribes: so that all matters judiciary, such especially as were more difficult, and were by appeal referred from the inferior judges, belonged to their cognizance."