How many Israelites left Egypt in the exodus?

This is the term commonly used to express the bringing out of the children of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. Under PLAGUES OF EGYPT are considered the preliminary dealings with Pharaoh which were intended to show him the power of that God whose people he was holding in slavery. The death of the first-born all over Egypt made the Egyptians beg them to depart, and made them willing to give them many things for which the Israelites 'asked' (not 'borrowed'). There being 600,000 men, it is calculated that including the women and children the number of the Israelites would not have been less than two millions. There was also a mixed multitude which went with them, and very much cattle. It must have been a wonderful sight to have seen such a number moving away from the scene of their slavery, and it is often referred to as the work of the mighty God. "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them." Ps. 105:37-38.

The total that were numbered amounted to 603,550, as we are told in verse 46. We were told in Exodus 12:37-38, that about 600,000 men beside children left Egypt, and also a "mixed multitude" went with them. In this census the mixed multitude were eliminated and we have more detailed and accurate figures. Since all males under twenty and all females were omitted, we are safe in assuming that the host must have numbered over two millions.

Not fewer than 603,550 males, Israelites of twenty years old and upward, paid the atonement money that was taken of the children of Israel in the wilderness, when God numbered His people. This number did not include the tribe of Levi (see Num. 1:46-47), which was specially set aside for the service of the Tabernacle. From this we gather that roughly speaking some three million souls must have come out of Egypt, when God "with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm" delivered His people from the bitter bondage of Pharaoh.

If then this be the correct period, how does it agree with Gen. 15:13 and Ex. 12:40? In Gen. 15:13 and Acts 7:6, nothing is said about Egypt: "Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs." This was said to Abraham, and may include the whole period from the birth of Isaac to the Exodus, which according to the above was four hundred and five years — thus agreeing with the round number of four hundred years. Ex. 12:40 is worded differently: "The sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years." The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX add the words "and of their fathers in the land of Canaan;" but these words are not in the Arabic, Syriac, or Vulgate versions; and may therefore have been added to meet the apparent difficulty. It is better to take the four hundred and thirty years as including the sojourn of Abraham (after the promise), and of Isaac, and of Jacob, though strictly speaking Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were not 'children of Israel.'

The conclusion that the sojourn in Egypt was really for two hundred and fifteen years creates another difficulty in some minds, namely, the great increase of the Israelites during that period. Ex. 12:37 speaks of there being 600,000 men, besides children, at the Exodus. Num. 1:46 gives the number more exactly as 603,550 from twenty years old and upwards that were able to go to war. This has been calculated to signify a total of about two million men, women, and children, without the descendants of Levi. Is this a greater number than could be the descendants of those who entered Egypt? This may be reckoned in two ways: if we deduct thirteen from the seventy (for the family of Levi and for those who could not be called heads of families at that time) Deut. 10:22, the result gives fifty-seven heads of families; and if each had 14 children,

A new experience Israel enjoyed. They were now on a journey, the end of which would be the land of Canaan. An exodus was commencing, the like of which had never been known; for about 600,000 men, besides women and children, were now on the move, leaving for ever the land of Goshen, and changing their condition from one of slavery to that of freedom. Along with them went a mixed multitude, of what number there is no account. Then all the flocks and herds of Israel moved too. Not a hoof was left behind. A migration it was, unparalleled before or since. To the Egyptians, when they woke up to it, what a change had taken place! Goshen, was depopulated. The taskmaster's occupation was gone. The brickyards and fields, hitherto alive with men, were deserted. Silence must have reigned where the hum of men performing their daily task had been heard but as yesterday.

Throughout the night, from various parts of the land of Goshen, the columns get under way “according to their hosts.” Their immediate goal is to reach Rameses and Succoth. Six hundred thousand men on foot with their families, plus a mixed multitude that went up with them — from two to three million souls, beside all the cattle that accompany them.

This book begins with a nation being virtually born within a nation. From a beginning of only 70 people, Israel developed into a nation of between two and three million. It is this nation that God has chosen to be an object lesson for all mankind, not because they are the best of people, but because they are simply a sample of all humanity. Gentiles should see in Israel precisely what they are like themselves.

The sight of six hundred thousand men besides women and children springing into action to leave the country must have been astounding! There has been nothing else in all history resembling this. The responsibility for leading this company of over two million rested squarely on the shoulders of Moses. Did he feel himself capable for this? Not at all: he felt himself helpless, but he knew that God's power was sufficient, and God had spoken clearly: He would deliver Israel.

They journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, a little over 30 miles. Perhaps in starting out on the journey they were fresh and vigorous enough to do this in one day, though it may be doubtful for a crowd that large. “A mixed multitude” went with them, evidently those not actually Israelites, but possibly Egyptians who had married Israelites or in some other way were identified with them.

Dr. C. makes difficulties as to there being wild beasts in Canaan with so large a population. His objections are futile. What is the population of India? How dense is well known, yet tigers and wild beasts abound. Modern European populations are no rule at all, nor even Port Natal, because they settled more in Canaan in towns and villages. Counting in the Canaanites besides Israel is only another instance of Dr. C.'s carelessness, for the supposition made is their total immediate destruction. My own conviction is that the number of Israelites is greatly exaggerated. The six hundred thousand are all males, not children — all the grown men.

The increase may be reckoned in another manner by the population. If the above fifty-seven are multiplied by 3.3 it gives as the population at the commencement (excluding Levi, and his descendants, etc., as above) 188 persons. Suppose the population doubled itself in fifteen years (as it has been known to do in some places), the number in two hundred and ten years would be over three millions. There is therefore no difficulty in the increase of the people.