Reply To: The population of the Israelites during Exodus

[Deborah Hurn]

Overview of the Theories (cont.)

There remain three other possible interpretations of the tribal census listings that as yet appear to have no published proponents:

— The אֶלֶף figures are military leaders (‘captains’) and the מֵאוֹת are hundreds of fighting men divided among those leaders: total population about 26,000. This produces a similar total to Mendenhall’s theory.48

— The אֶלֶף figures are fighting men (‘warriors’) and the מֵאוֹת are other males of all ages: total population about 13,000.49

— The אֶלֶף figures are fighting men (‘warriors’) and the מֵאוֹת are rounded totals of all people in each tribe: total population about 6000.50

48 This is 598 leaders (אֶלֶף) plus 5550 men (מֵאוֹת), doubled for underage males, doubled again for females, plus a proportionate estimate for the tribe of Levi.
49 This is 598 warriors (אֶלֶף) plus 5550 other males (מֵאוֹת), doubled for females, plus a proportionate estimate for the tribe of Levi.
50 This is 5550 people including the 600 warriors (אֶלֶף ), plus a proportionate estimate for the tribe of Levi.