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[LPT]

Where's the 3 mil come from is that a assumption or fact?

 

[Dino246]

The math is easier in metric... one metre is 3.28 feet. One square meter per person, one million people per square kilometer (0.62 Km to the mile), three million people in three square kilometres, or about 1.3 square miles. Obviously, that's packed fairly tightly, but within the range of plausible.

Whoops... 1 Kilometre is 0.62 miles, not the other way around.

 

[oldhermit]

Where's the 3 mil come from is that a assumption or fact?

It is a calculated conservative number based on the number of the fighting force of Israel, the number of the Levites, and the mass of those who came out of Egypt with Israel.

 

[LPT]

It is a calculated conservative number based on the number of the fighting force of Israel, the number of the Levites, and the mass of those who came out of Egypt with Israel.

Which was 600,000 men plus wives etc. but did every man have a wife who knows IMO 1.5 mil seems logical.

 

[oldhermit]

Which was 600,000 men plus wives etc. but did every man have a wife who knows IMO 1.5 mil seems logical.

I would think that clearly, not all had wives and children. You must also factor in the number of children, women, both married and unmarried as well as those men too old for battle. Even if the number of children was a conservative ratio of two to one, that is still going to be in excess of 1.5 million. Based on the various numberings of the people in Numbers, I would think the number of Israelites alone would be between 1.5 and 2.5 mil I am certainly not adamant about the number 3 mil. but, I think it is probably close to the size of the camp.

 

[LPT]

I would think that clearly, not all had wives and children. You must also factor in the number of children, women, both married and unmarried as well as those men too old for battle. Even if the number of children was a conservative ratio of two to one, that is still going to be in excess of 1.5 million. Based on the various numberings of the people in Numbers, I would think the number of Israelites alone would be between 1.5 and 2.5 mil I am certainly not adamant about the number 3 mil. but, I think it is probably close to the size of the camp.

You could be right for I didn't think of the amount of elderly folks and others that probably travelled as well. though surely the amount can't be exactly known but no doubt there was heap of people and Moab probably freaked out seeing all those people hehe...

 

[oldhermit]

You could be right for I didn't think of the amount of elderly folks and others that probably travelled as well. though surely the amount can't be exactly known but no doubt there was heap of people and Moab probably freaked out seeing all those people hehe...

We really do not know how large the mixed multitude was. There are no indications from Exodus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy to suggest their size aside from the fact that they were referred to as a multitude which suggests a large number. Aside from that, there were the flocks and herds which Exodus 12:38 calls "a very large number of livestock."

 

[LPT]

We really do not know how large the mixed multitude was. There are no indications from Exodus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy to suggest their size aside from the fact that they were referred to as a multitude which suggests a large number. Aside from that, there were the flocks and herds which Exodus 12:38 calls "a very large number of livestock."

Indeed that must of been quite the sight to see, then there's the food water and others supply's and I don't even want to think about the restroom breaks so to speak geesh.

 

[oldhermit]

There was also the massive amount of riches and other booty that they took when the sacked Egypt. When you consider all the materials that went into building the tabernacle, Israel did not get these materials from the Sinai wilderness; they brought them out of Egypt with them.

I found this formula on the web site http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-route-population-of-jews-hebrews.htm
I think this represents a very minimal area for that many people.

1. 1 square mile = 2,589,988 square meters.
2. If one person needed an area of 4 meters x 4 meters (a 12x12 foot room) = 16 square meters
3. 2,589,988/16 = 161,875 people per square mile
4. 3,000,000/161,875 = 18.5 square miles are needed
5. 18.5 square miles = an area of 4.3 miles x 4.3 miles = 5 x5 miles
6. 18.5 square miles = 48 square km = 7 km x 7 km
7. Conclusion: 50 square km needed for 3 million people. or a square area of 7 x 7 km.

The area in miles suggested by this site come to 31.0685596 squire miles. Remember, these people had to be camped sometimes for months in one place and each family would need adequate room for themselves and their belongings. Also, there would have to be plenty of space between the tents to move animals and carts. I would think then that an area of half again that size or more would be required, perhaps 45 to 50 square miles.

 

[Miri]

Interesting thread.

One thing I was thinking, if the numbers were in the millions. It would make
sense as to why they were all guided by a pillor of fire and cloud.

They didn’t have mobile phones so if Moses was to say “let’s go”. How would
that message reach all the people and how would they even know who
they were following, especially the ones “way over there”. Would they all
have even seen Moses? No TV either.

With the pillors, they would have been seen for miles and they would have
been a guide for everyone.

A couple of thousand people wouldn’t have needed the pillor of fire
and cloud.