17. I will come down—that is, not in a visible manner or by local descent, but by the tokens of the divine presence and operations.
and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee—"The spirit" means the gifts and influences of the Spirit (Nu 27:18; Joe 2:28; Joh 7:39; 1Co 14:12), and by "taking the spirit of Moses, and putting it upon them," is not to be understood that the qualities of the great leader were to be in any degree impaired but that the elders would be endowed with a portion of the same gifts, especially of prophecy (Nu 11:25)—that is, an extraordinary penetration in discovering hidden and settling difficult things.