A Theory of Origins of the Sanhedrin Tradition

The name Sanhedrin arose during the Hellenistic period. The traditional rabbinic understanding of certain events in the Pentateuch suggests that it was established by Moses at God's command. In the Pentateuch God commands Moses, saying:

And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men out of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and the officers of the people, and bring them unto me, and lead them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, and cause them to stand with thee.

God had also commanded Moses to go and lay his hands on Joshua's head. Classic rabbinic tradition holds that the Sanhedrin began at this time, when it consisted of 70 elders, plus Moses as president, a ****71. Later, when someone in the Sanhedrin died, or for some other reason could not continue its membership, new members were recruited. Such recruitment never ceased from Moses to Joshua. It was not until the destruction of the Second Temple that this tradition was discontinued and the Sanhedrin was dissolved.