Exodus 12:37

¶ And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot [that were] men, beside children.

And the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} journeyed {H5265} from Rameses {H7486} to Succoth {H5523}, about six {H8337} hundred {H3967} thousand {H505} on foot {H7273} that were men {H1397}, beside {H905} children {H2945}.

The people of Isra'el traveled from Ra'amses to Sukkot, some six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting children.

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth with about 600,000 men on foot, besides women and children.

And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, besides children.

Commentary

Context

Exodus 12:37 marks the momentous physical departure of the Israelites from Egypt, immediately following the devastating tenth plague and the institution of the Passover. After the death of the firstborn throughout Egypt, Pharaoh, now desperate, urged Moses and Aaron to take the Israelites and leave his land (Exodus 12:31-32). This verse details the first leg of their journey, from Rameses, a major storage city where many Israelites likely resided and labored, to Succoth, their initial encampment. It signifies the end of over 400 years of bondage and the dramatic beginning of their nationhood.

Key Themes

  • Divine Deliverance: This verse is the culmination of God's mighty acts against Egypt, demonstrating His power to liberate His people from oppressive slavery. It underscores the theme of God keeping His covenant promises.
  • The Birth of a Nation: The sheer number of people leaving Egypt signifies the miraculous growth of Jacob's descendants into a vast nation, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham to multiply his offspring and make them a great nation.
  • God's Faithfulness: Despite centuries of slavery and suffering, God remembered His covenant and acted decisively to bring His people out "with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm" (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "about six hundred thousand on foot [that were] men, beside children" is crucial. This refers to adult males, typically those aged 20 and above, who were capable of warfare and counted in later censuses in the wilderness (e.g., Numbers 1:3). If this number represents only the men, the total population, including women, children, and the "mixed multitude" (Exodus 12:38) who joined them, could have been well over two million people. This immense figure highlights the scale of the divine miracle and the logistical challenge of leading such a vast assembly through the wilderness.

Significance and Application

Exodus 12:37 is a pivotal verse, marking the physical beginning of the Exodus journey. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's power to deliver His people from any form of bondage. Just as God led the Israelites out of physical slavery in Egypt, He offers spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin through Christ (John 8:36). The sheer number of people demonstrates God's ability to care for and lead a vast multitude, providing encouragement for believers today that God is capable of guiding and sustaining His church. This verse sets the stage for the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and their subsequent journey towards the Promised Land, symbolizing the believer's journey of faith towards eternal rest.

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Cross-References

  • Numbers 1:46 (6 votes)

    Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

  • Exodus 38:26 (6 votes)

    A bekah for every man, [that is], half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty [men].

  • Numbers 33:3 (5 votes)

    And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

  • Numbers 33:5 (5 votes)

    And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.

  • Numbers 11:21 (5 votes)

    And Moses said, The people, among whom I [am, are] six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

  • Genesis 47:11 (4 votes)

    And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

  • Exodus 1:11 (3 votes)

    Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.