Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Whom God has loved, one of the seventy elders whom Moses appointed (Num. 11:26, 27) to administer justice among the people. He, with Medad, prophesied in the camp instead of going with the rest to the tabernacle, as Moses had commanded. This incident was announced to Moses by Joshua, who thought their conduct in this respect irregular. Moses replied, “Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets” (Num. 11:24-30; comp. Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(favored of God) and Me’dad (love), two of the seventy elders to whom was communicated the prophetic power of Moses. ) Although their names were upon the last which Moses had drawn up, (Numbers 11:26) they did not repair with the rest of their brethren to the tabernacle, but continued to prophesy in the camp. moses, being requested by Joshua to forbid this, refused to do so, and expressed a wish that the gift of prophecy might be diffused throughout the people.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
EL'DAD (whom God loves), and ME'DAD (love), were of the 70 elders of Israel appointed by Moses to assist him in the government of the people. Num 11:26. When the elders were assembled around the tabernacle to seek wisdom from God on a particular occasion, Eldad and Medad were absent. The Spirit of God was, however, poured out on them in the camp, and they prophesied.
Their proceeding was represented to Moses, and he was asked to prohibit them, but he declined, and, so far from wishing them to be silenced, he uttered a prayer that all the people might receive the same spirit which was upon Eldad and Medad. The passage is important as proving the distribution of the spirit of prophecy, which had been concentrated in Moses. The mode of prophecy of these men was perhaps the extempore production of hymns chanted forth to the people. Compare the case of Saul. 1 Sam 10:11.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
favored of God; love of God