SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:37
¶ Y partieron los hijos de Israel de Ramesés a Sucot, como seiscientos mil hombres de a pie, sin contar los niños.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Exodus 12:37
Verse 37. From Rameses to Succoth] Rameses appears to have been another name for Goshen, though it is probable that there might have been a chief city or village in that land, where the children of Israel rendezvoused previously to their departure, called Rameses. As the term Succoth signifies booths or tents, it is probable that this place was so named from its being the place of the first encampment of the Israelites. Six hundred thousand] That is, There was this number of effective men, twenty years old and upwards, who were able to go out to war. But this was not the whole number, and therefore the sacred writer says they were about 600, 000; for when the numbers were taken about thirteen months after this they were found to be six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty, without reckoning those under twenty years of age, or any of the tribe of Levi; see Num. i. 45, 46. But besides those on foot, or footmen, there were no doubt many old and comparatively infirm persons, who rode on camels, horses, or asses, besides the immense number of women and children, which must have been at least three to one of the others; and the mixed multitude, ver. 38, probably of refugees in Egypt, who came to sojourn there, because of the dearth which had obliged them to emigrate from their own countries; and who now, seeing that the hand of Jehovah was against the Egyptians and with the Israelites, availed themselves of the general consternation, and took their leave of Egypt, choosing Israel's God for their portion, and his people for their companions. Such a company moving at once, and emigrating from their own country, the world never before nor since witnessed; no doubt upwards of two millions of souls, besides their flocks and herds, even very much cattle; and what but the mere providence of God could support such a multitude, and in the wilderness, too, where to this day the necessaries of life are not to be found? Suppose we take them at a rough calculation thus, two millions will be found too small a number.
Effective men, 20 years old and upward. 600, 000 Two-thirds of whom we may suppose were married, in which case their wives would amount to .400, 000 These, on an average, might have 5 children under 20 years of age, an estimate which falls considerably short of the number of children each family must have averaged in order to produce from 75 persons, in A. M. 2298, upwards of 600, 000 effective men in A. M. 2494, a period of only 196 years 2, 000, 000 The Levites, who probably were not included among the effective men 45, 000 Their wives 33, 000 Their children 165, 000 The mixed multitude probably not less than 20, 000 - Total 3, 263, 000 Besides a multitude of old and infirm persons who would be obliged to ride on camels and asses, &c., and who must, from the proportion that such bear to the young and healthy, amount to many thousands more! Exclude even the Levites and their families, and upwards of three millions will be left.
"In Num. iii. 39 the male Levites, aged one month and upwards, are reckoned 22, 000, perhaps the females did not much exceed this number, say 23, 000, and 500 children, under one month, will make 45, 500."-Anon.
Had not Moses the fullest proof of his Divine mission, he never could have put himself at the head of such an immense concourse of people, who, without the most especial and effective providence, must all have perished for lack of food. This single circumstance, unconnected with all others, is an ample demonstration of the Divine mission of Moses, and of the authenticity and Divine inspiration of the Pentateuch. To suppose that an impostor, or one pretending only to a Divine call, could have ventured to place himself at the head of such an immense body of people, to lead them through a trackless wilderness, utterly unprovided for such a journey, to a land as yet in the possession of several powerful nations whom they must expel before they could possess the country, would have implied such an extreme of madness and folly as has never been witnessed in an individual, and such a blind credulity in the multitude as is unparalleled in the annals of mankind! The succeeding stupendous events proved that Moses had the authority of God to do what he did; and the people had at least such a general conviction that he had this authority, that they implicitly followed his directions, and received their law from his mouth.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 37-42 - The children of Israel set forward without delay. A mixed multitud went with them. Some, perhaps, willing to leave their country, lai waste by plagues; others, out of curiosity; perhaps a few out of love to them and their religion. But there were always those among the Israelites who were not Israelites. Thus there are still hypocrites in the church. This great event was 430 years from the promise made to Abraham: see Ga 3:17. So long the promise of a settlement wa unfulfilled. But though God's promises are not performed quickly, the will be, in their season. This is that night of the Lord, tha remarkable night, to be celebrated in all generations. The great thing God does for his people, are to be not only a few days' wonder, but to be remembered throughout all ages; especially the work of ou redemption by Christ. This first passover-night was a night of the Lord, much to be observed; but the last passover-night, in which Chris was betrayed and in which the first passover, with the rest of the Jewish ceremonies, was done away, was a night of the Lord, much more to be observed. Then a yoke, heavier than that of Egypt, was broken from off our necks, and a land, better than that of Canaan, set before us It was a redemption to be celebrated in heaven, for ever and ever.
Original Hebrew
ויסעו 5265 בני 1121 ישׂראל 3478 מרעמסס 7486 סכתה 5523 כשׁשׁ 8337 מאות 3967 אלף 505 רגלי 7273 הגברים 1397 לבד 905 מטף׃ 2945
