THE MULTITUDE AT THE EXODUS.
(Extract from the late Dr. Kitto’s Bible Readings.)
So now there is nothing to impede the free course of the Israelites, and forth they march. “Such an emigration as this,” as a writer well remarks, “the world never saw. On the lowest computation the entire multitude must have been above two millions. Is the magnitude of this movement usually apprehended? Do we think of the emigration of the Israelites from Egypt as of the emigration of a number of families considerably more than the British Metropolis (in 1841), with all their goods, utensils, property and cattle? The collecting together of so immense a multitude—the arranging of the order of their march—the provision of the requisite food for even a few days, must, under the circumstances, have been utterly impossible unless a very special and over-ruling Providence had graciously interfered to obviate the difficulties of the case. To the most superficial observer it must be evident that no man, or number of men, having nothing but human resources, could have ventured to undertake this journey. Scarcely any wonder wrought by divine power in Egypt appears greater than this emigration of a nation when fairly and fully considered.”
It is said in the Authorised Version that they went up out of Egypt “harnessed” (Exodus xiii. 18), which means fully equipped for war or for a journey, in which latter sense only it is now used, and is that intended by the translators here. This marginal reading is, “By five in a rank,” but although there is, in the original Hebrew word, an obscure reference to the number five, the word means, as the translators in their textual rendering understood, that they went out in an orderly manner, fully equipped for the journey, as we indeed know was the fact. It is possible they may have marched in five large divisions, and hence the choice of this particular word. At this rate, if we allow the ranks of only the 600,000 men fit to bear arms, to have been three feet asunder, they would have formed a procession sixty miles in length, and the van would almost have reached the Red Sea before the rear had left the land of Goshen; and if we add to these the remainder of the host, the line would have extended by the direct route from Egypt quite into the limits of the land of Canaan. This fact is stated, not only to correct an erroneous impression, but to assist the reader to a tangible idea of the vastness of that body of people which Moses led out of Egypt, and which the Lord sustained in the wilderness for forty years.
The computation of the numbers of the Israelites is formed in this way. Our information is that the efficient men in the Hebrew host amounted to 600,000. Now, it is known that the number of males, too young and too old for military service, is at least, in every average population, equal to that of efficient men. This raises the number to 1,200,000 males of all ages; and then, when this number is to be doubled for the females of all ages, raising the whole to 2,400,000—or we may safely say two millions and a half—especially if we take account of the “mixed multitude,” who, we are told, went out with the Israelites. These we take to have been native Egyptian vagrants whom community of suffering had brought into contact with the Israelites. That they were numerous is historically known. The presence of this “mixed multitude” proved a great inconvenience and danger to the Israelites, not only from their being foremost in all discontent and rebellion, but from their keeping idolatrous tendencies alive in the camp, and having no real share in the hope or faith of Israel.
DIVINE MANIFESTATION AND SUPERNATURAL FAITH IN EXERCISE.
The following is an extract from The Life of Mrs. Edwards, the godly wife of the great Rev. Dr. Jonathan Edwards:—
“In 1742 I sought and obtained the full assurance of faith. I cannot find language to express how certain the everlasting immutable love of God appeared. The everlasting mountains and hills were but dim shadows of it. My safety and happiness and eternal enjoyment of God’s immutable love seemed as durable and unchangeable as God Himself. Melted and overcome by the sweetness of this assurance, I fell into a great flow of tears, and could not forbear weeping aloud. The presence of God was so near and so real that I seemed scarcely conscious of anything else. My soul was filled and overwhelmed with light, and love and joy in the Holy Ghost, and seemed just ready to go away from the body. This exultation of soul subsided into a heavenly calm and rest of soul in God, which was even sweeter than what preceded it.”