Exodus 12:37
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּסְע֧וּ
journeyed
H5265
וַיִּסְע֧וּ
journeyed
Strong's:
H5265
Word #:
1 of 12
properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e., start on a journey
בְנֵֽי
And the children
H1121
בְנֵֽי
And the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
2 of 12
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
3 of 12
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
סֻכֹּ֑תָה
to Succoth
H5523
סֻכֹּ֑תָה
to Succoth
Strong's:
H5523
Word #:
5 of 12
succoth, the name of a place in egypt and of three in palestine
כְּשֵׁשׁ
about six
H8337
כְּשֵׁשׁ
about six
Strong's:
H8337
Word #:
6 of 12
six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth
אֶ֧לֶף
thousand
H505
אֶ֧לֶף
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
8 of 12
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
הַגְּבָרִ֖ים
that were men
H1397
הַגְּבָרִ֖ים
that were men
Strong's:
H1397
Word #:
10 of 12
properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simply
Cross References
Exodus 38:26A 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 1:46Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.Numbers 33:5And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.Numbers 11:21And 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.Numbers 33:3And 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.Genesis 47:11And 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 1:11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
Historical Context
Rameses was likely a city in the Nile Delta where Israel labored. Succoth was the first camp outside Egypt proper. The massive number made this the ancient world's greatest migration.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's multiplication of Israel from 70 persons to 2-3 million demonstrate His faithfulness to covenant promises?
- What does the organization of this massive exodus teach about God's ability to orchestrate complex movements?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The journey from Rameses to Succoth begins the exodus. 'Six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children' indicates approximately 2-3 million total people—a nation in motion. The specification 'men' (gever, גֶּבֶר—warriors, able-bodied men) shows Israel could field a substantial army. This fulfills God's promise that Abraham's descendants would be numerous (Genesis 15:5).