ויאצל. על דעתי מהבנין הכבד הנוסף: AND TOOK OF THE SPIRIT. In my opinion, the word va-yatzel (and took of the spirit) is a hifil.103Thus the meaning of our clause is: He caused some of the spirit that was upon him to move (va-yatzel).
וי"ו ויתנבאו כפ"א רפה בלשון ישמעאל: [AND THEY PROPHESIED.] The vav of va-yitnabbe’u (and they prophesied) is like an unaspirated fa in Arabic.104A verb that begins with a conversive vav usually introduces a new clause. Here it does not. Hence I.E. points out that sometimes the conversive vav merely serves as a conjunction, like the fa in Arabic.
ולא יספו. פעם שנית וכן קול גדול ולא יסף ולא יסף עוד לדעתה ואין מדקדוק הלשון להיותו מגזרת פן תספו בכל חטאתם אמרו חכמים ז"ל שלקח משה מכל שבט ששה והנה שנים ושבעים ובעבור שאמר לו השם שבעים איש הניח השנים וזה נכון: BUT THY DID SO NO MORE.105Hebrew, ve-lo yasaf. A second time.106The literal meaning of lo yasefu is, they did not add. Hence I.E. points out that this term is an idiom meaning they did not repeat it. The same applies to the phrase ve-lo yasaf (and it went on no more) in with a great voice, and it went on no more107It did not repeat itself. (Deut. 5:19) and ve-lo yasaf (now more) in and he knew her again no more108Its meaning is, he knew her not a second time. (Gen. 38:26). According to the rules of Hebrew grammar, the word yasaf is not related to the word tissafu (swept away)109For the word yasefu comes from the root yod, samekh, peh, while the root of tissafu comes from the root samekh, peh, heh. If our word came from the latter root, it would have read safu not yasefu. in lest ye be swept away in all their sins (Num. 16:26).110If it were, then the meaning of our phrase would be: but they were not destroyed. Our sages of blessed memory say that Moses took six men from each tribe. Their number thus came to seventy-two. However, Moses dropped the two111Eldad and Medad. because God told him to gather seventy men.112San. 17a. This is correct.