17. A Question of Numbers and a Calf

We Need More Water

My style is this: Red is Biblical text, Quotes from other sources are Blue; Pink represents when I put words into the speaker's mouth or maybe imagine a scene.

Do you like tough math questions? Try this one:

Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. Ex. 12:37-38.

The Bible says that 600,000 Israelite men left Egypt. 

Assuming there was one woman for each man, add another 600,000, the total now is 1,200,000 people. 

The Bible also says, But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Ex. 1:7. 

If we estimate, on the low side, we will say, 4 children per couple, that is 2,400,000 children. 

Now the total number of Israelites is 3,600,000. 

Then, get this, there was also A mixed multitude (Egyptians) ... and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. 

My problem with such a huge crowd of people is that when they came to Elim, ... there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters. Ex. 15:27.   Would most of the 3,600,000 Israelites, plus some strangers and much livestock even have noticed it if there were only 70 palm trees? 

If they were divided into 12 equal groups, (one group for each well), there would have been 300,000 Israelites, plus strangers and cattle waiting for their turn at that one well.  Some would have died of thirst long before it was their turn to drink.  Is it any wonder that some people are sceptical of some of the facts presented in the Bible?  

I keep remembering this quote: The recording of history with literal exactness of detail is a fairly modern development. At the time, (the Bible was written), precise fact was far less important than the spiritual message of the stories shared. Jesus and his Times, by The Reader's Digest, 1987, p.14.

  

the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? Num.11:4. Then you shall say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; Num:11:18. And Moses said, Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Num. 11:21-22.  Moses finally voiced an opinion that seems so logical.  When they left Egypt the Israelites had a great deal of livestock.  Animals can replenish themselves, so if you want to eat meat, butcher something, don't just complain about being hungry.

The Golden calf

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings ... and bring them to me.” ... he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!” ... “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” Ex. 32:1-5.

Then Moses went up, also Aaron, ... and they saw the God of Israel. Ex:24:9-10.  Moses had been up on the mountain top about one and a half months and the people were getting impatient, so they asked Moses' brother to make some gods for them.  Gods that would lead them; after all, that was the religion they had learned in Egypt.  Aaron had just had a "mountaintop experience" with the Lord.  

Aaron so much wanted to share his experience with the fellow Israelites, and worshipping Jehovah seemed like a good plan.  The Israelites themselves felt a need for the presence of God; like they had experienced in the Red Sea.  

After Aaron had formed the golden calf they said, This is your god, O Israel, ... Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.  In Hebrew the word, god, is plural, Elohim.  The Israelites said These are the gods that brought you out of Egypt.  From reading the story carefully it seems that this is not at all what Aaron had in mind; it was totally Aaron's intention that the Israelites would worship Jehovah the next day.

However, what Aaron didn't realize is that in the same time frame that he was busy forming a molten calf, Jehovah was telling Moses, One of the rules for Israel is; You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. Ex. 20:4-5.  However, Aaron did not know that yet!

Then, ironically, there was another coincidence that Aaron was not aware of.  Jehovah also said to Moses, Remember, while you were still in Egypt, I asked all the people to borrow golden jewellery from the Egyptians. Now, here is what I want you to do with that gold, From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold. Ex. 25:2-3.  That gold will form part of the accoutrements and vestments for worship in the tabernacle that I want you to build for me. The Lord had plans for that gold but Aaron had confiscated it and changed it into a molten calf.

Later, when Moses confronted Aaron about that calf, Aaron said, I really don't know how that happened, I cast it (the gold) into the fire, and this calf came out. Ex.32:24.  Oh, really, Aaron, was there maybe a mold of a calf involved in this, somehow?  Did the engraving on the calf also happen by itself?