The Slain Elders and Hur Behind the New Seventy

"Gather Me <seventy men of the elders of Israel>" and so forth (Numbers 11:16). And where were those former ones? This is what Scripture says: "He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets others in their place" (Job 34:24). When the princes were in Egypt, they had seventy elders, as it is said, "Go and gather the elders of Israel" (Exodus 3:16); and with them they went out of Egypt. And when Moses went up to receive the Torah, they were with him, as it is said, "Then Moses went up, and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel" (Exodus 24:9), and to the elders he said, "Wait for us here" and so forth (Exodus 24:14). When Moses went up, he made a condition with Israel that he would come down at the end of forty days. When he tarried to come down, as it is said, "And the people saw that Moses delayed (boshesh)" (Exodus 32:1) — and boshesh means nothing other than tarrying, as it is said, "Why is his chariot delayed (boshesh) in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?" (Judges 5:28) — all Israel gathered to the elders. They said to them: Moses made a condition with us that he would come down within forty days, and behold, it is forty days and he has not come down, and six hours more, and we do not know what has become of him; rather, "Arise, make us a god" (Exodus 32:1). When they heard this, they said to them: Why do you provoke to anger the One who performed for you all the miracles and the wonders? They rose up against them and killed them. And because Hur stood up to them with harsh words, they rose up against him and killed him. From where do we know that they killed the elders and Hur? For thus said Jeremiah: "Also in your skirts is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in, but for all these things" (Jeremiah 2:34). What is "for all these things"? Because of "These are your gods, O Israel" (Exodus 32:4). After a time, when the Holy One forgiven them, He said to Moses, "Gather Me seventy men" — in place of those who were killed for the sanctification of My name. This is what is written: "He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets others in their place" (Job 34:24).