How many slaves left Egypt?
Philip Ryken The Bible describes the exodus in careful detail. Nevertheless, it has often been challenged on historical grounds. One standard objection concerning information given in Exodus 12 is the size of the Exodus. It deserves a response. The text says, “The people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds” (vv. 37–38). This account gives the kind of who, what, when, where, and how information that a good historian is careful to include. But what about “How many?” Can we really believe that God brought so many Israelites out of Egypt? That’s a good question. There are three common answers to choose from. Answer #1: Inflated Statistics If there were 600,000 men, then there were perhaps 2 million Israelites in all, and this number presents difficulties. If there were so many Israelites, why aren’t they mentioned in the annal...