The Number of Israelites in the Exodus

As mentioned before, unbelievers try to undermine the historicity of the Bible in their efforts to negate it. Genesis is maligned by atheists with their materialistic paradigm (there is no God and miracles are impossible). Unbelievers take that kind of approach to other parts of the Bible as well.

You probably know the account of how the Israelites left Egypt, and Exodus 12:37 mentions 600,000 men, plus their families. Laypeople tend to forget that the Bible and other ancient texts do not conform to modern approaches regarding minute details and strict sequences of events.

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh / Benjamin West

There is something that I want to say here. Thoughtful Christians and creationists do not simply appeal to miracles as a matter of course. When the text indicates a miracle occurred, yes. But to use it as a reflexive explanation, no. That is not the manner of serious researchers and scholars. To first seek a natural explanation before using one that is supernatural is not an appeasement to naturalist, and these things can be done while still presupposing the truth and accuracy of the Bible.

Those who understand ancient history, biblical writings, and logic can show that yes, a very large population grew out of the seventy mentioned in Genesis 46:27. For one thing, the most noteworthy people were included in that number (a principle seen in Exodus 12:37 and many other times throughout Scripture). Besides, the Egyptians were concerned that there were so many (Exodus 1:8-14). It is entirely feasible that this huge number of people grew out of a much smaller number in the elapsed time.

Modern scholars generally follow the assumption of naturalism—that is, events need to be explainable without resorting to God or miracles. It is no surprise that the Exodus narrative, one of the places God intervenes in history most spectacularly to deliver Israel, is under consistent attack. One detail is the number of people who are said to leave Egypt with Moses. Six hundred thousand men of fighting age are counted in Exodus, and when the elderly, women, and children are counted with that number, the population of Israel rises to easily two million. How could Israel go from a family of 70 to a nation of millions within the span of several generations and a few hundred years?

To read the rest, journey to "Did 600,000 Men Leave Egypt with Moses?"