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."