Accuracy in Genesis carries this scheme much farther. See their essay on the population of the Israelites at the Exodus at www.accuracyingenesis.com. They suggest that the 600,000 men coming out of Egypt (Num 11:21) should read 600 families or clans. When God formed the Israelites into an army at Mt. Sinai, He commanded a census of the men only, by their clans, by their father’s households, twenty years old and upward, able to go out to war. (Numbers 1 & 2) Reuben, for example, is listed as having 65,500. Accuracy in Genesis suggests this should read 65 clans or families of Reuben, with 500 men able to go out to war. Carrying that scheme on down, we reach a total of 598 families of the 12 tribes (excluding Levi, who was not to go to war), and 5,550 men able to go to war. If we add another 5,000 wives plus 10,000 children, we reach about 20,000. In chapter 3 Levi is numbered. Using the same scheme we get 21 families and 1300 men from a month old and up, giving roughly 3,000 Levites, totaling 23,000 Israelites at the Exodus.

Another census was taken after Israel entered Canaan (Num 26) to divide up the land as an inheritance for the families of Israel. The totals were quite similar.

Accuracy in Genesis concludes the total number of Israelites at the Exodus was between 20,000 and 40,000, including the “mixed multitude” of unspecified size that went out of Egypt with Israel. (Ex 12:38) They have built up a remarkably good case in their essay, which I would love to accept, for lots of reasons.

•  Every archaeological dig of this time period matches the lower population.

•  It is certainly true that the Hebrew word translated “thousand” can also mean “family, clan, head, chief, head of household, leader” as in 1 Samuel 6:19.

•  The Scriptural 600,000 fighting men would require roughly 2.5 million total with their wives and children. This forms a column ten abreast and nearly 500 miles long if they try to travel on a road, and that’s hardly allowing for their flocks and herds. That could be well over a mile wide and 10 miles long if they spread out over the desert. The logistics of this huge crowd crossing the Red Sea in one night or following a narrow wadi between the mountains seems unreasonable.

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