EXODUS 12
37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. 40 The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generations. – Exodus 12:37-42
EXODUS 12 GOD’S PEOPLE LEAVES EGYPT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
After the death of the firstborns in Egypt, the Israelites left Egypt
They stayed in that place for 430 years as slaves to Pharaoh
This last plague finally made the king decide to let them go
It was a night of watching over them as God led them in their Exodus
The Israelites were set free from the slavery of Pharaoh and the Egyptians
They were led by the Lord of Hosts himself to the land he promised Abraham.
In this account we see God’s faithfulness in multiplying his people from the time he called Abraham out of Ur. Just in 200 years, they have multiplied so much.
In a commentary by Cole, he discusses a few ideas that would make the number 600,000 much less, such as saying that thousand really means clan and that 600 extended family-clams left Egypt. By the time they reached Canaan, they were certainly a sizable horde (to use the historian’s term), judging from the archaeological impact on Canaanite civilization.
Can you imagine 600,000 men on foot plus their wives and children? That must have been over a million counting the women and children with them. What a faithful God we have.
REFLECTION
· How is it that we don’t have as many children in families nowadays as they had during the time when the Exodus happened? Has God stopped blessing us?
