would later sin in slandering the land, God ascribed them to Moses, saying in , “Send you men.” Rabbi Hama ben Hanina taught that our ancestors were never without a scholars' council. Abraham was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as says, "And Abraham was an elder (, zaken) well stricken in age." Eliezer, Abraham's servant, was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as says, "And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all he had," which Rabbi Eleazar explained to mean that he ruled over — and thus knew and had control of — the Torah of his master. Isaac was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as says: "And it came to pass when Isaac was an elder (, zaken)." Jacob was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as says, "Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age (, zoken)." In Egypt they had the scholars' council, as says, "Go and gather the elders of Israel together." And in the Wilderness, they had the scholars' council, as in , God directed Moses to "Gather . . . 70 men of the elders of Israel." The Mishnah deduced from that the Great Sanhedrin consisted of 71 members, because God instructed Moses to gather 70 elders of Israel, and Moses at their head made 71. Rabbi Judah said that it consisted only of 70. Rav Aha bar Jacob argued for an interpretation of the words "that they may stand there with you" with regard to the 70 judges in . Rav Aha bar Jacob argued that the words "with you" implied that the judges needed to be "like you"—that is, like Moses—in unblemished genealogical background. But the Gemara did not accept that argument. In , Wisdom (which the Rabbis equated with the Torah) says, "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice." A Midrash taught that thus reports what actually happened to Joshua, for as reports, it was not the sons of Moses who succeeded their father, but Joshua. And the Midrash taught that , "And he who waits on his master shall be honored," also alludes to Joshua, for Joshua ministered to Moses day and night, as reported by , which says, "Joshua departed not out of the Tent," and , which says, "Joshua . . . said: ‘My lord