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<p>Here is the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt; having obtained their dismission, they set forward without delay, and did not defer to a more convenient season. Pharaoh was now in a good mind; but they had reason to think he would not long continue so, and therefore it was no time to linger. We have here an account, 1. Of their number, about 600,000 men (<a class="bibleref" title="Exod.12.37" href="/passage/?search=Exod.12.37">Exod. 12:37</a>), besides women and children, which I think, we cannot suppose to make less than 1,200,000 more. What a vast increase was this, to arise from seventy souls in little more than 200 years’ time! See the power and efficacy of that blessing, when God commands it, <i>Be fruitful and multiply</i>. This was typical of the multitudes that were brought into the gospel church when it was first founded; <i>so mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed</i>. 2. Of their retinue (<a class="bibleref" title="Exod.12.38" href="/passage/?search=Exod.12.38">Exod. 12:38</a>): <i>A mixed multitude went up with them</i>, hangers on to that great family, some perhaps willing to leave their country, because it was laid waste by the plagues, and to seek their fortune, as we say, with the Israelites; others went out of curiosity, to see the solemnities of Israel’s sacrifice to their God, which had been so much talked of, and expecting to see some glorious appearances of their God to them in the wilderness, having seen such glorious appearances of their God for them in the field of Zoan, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.78.12" href="/passage/?search=Ps.78.12">Ps. 78:12</a>. Probably the greatest part of this mixed multitude were but a rude unthinking mob, that followed the crowd they knew not why; we afterwards find that they proved a snare to them (<a class="bibleref" title="Num.11.4" href="/passage/?search=Num.11.4">Num. 11:4</a>), and it is probable that when, soon afterwards, they understood that the children of Israel were to continue forty years in the wilderness, they quitted them, and returned to Egypt. Note, There were always those among the Israelites that were not Israelites, and there are still hypocrites in the church, who make a deal of mischief, but will be shaken off at last. 3. Of their effects. They had with them <i>flocks and herds</i>, even <i>very much cattle</i>. This is taken notice of because it was long before Pharaoh would give them leave to remove their effects, which were chiefly cattle, <a class="bibleref" title="Gen.46.32" href="/passage/?search=Gen.46.32">Gen. 46:32</a>. 4. Of the provision made for the camp, which was very poor and slender. They brought some dough with them out of Egypt in their knapsacks, <a class="bibleref" title="Exod.12.34" href="/passage/?search=Exod.12.34">Exod. 12:34</a>. They had prepared to bake, the next day, in order to their removal, understanding it was very near; but, being hastened away sooner than they thought of, by some hours, they took the dough as it was, unleavened; when they came to Succoth, their first stage, they baked unleavened cakes, and, though these were of course insipid, yet the liberty they were brought into made this the most joyful meal they had ever eaten in their lives. Note, The servants of God must not be slaves to their appetites, nor solicitous to wind up all the delights of sense to their highest pitch. We should be willing to take up with dry bread, nay, with unleavened bread, rather than neglect or delay any service we have to do for God, as those whose meat and drink it is to do his will. 5. Of the date of this great event: it was just 430 years from the promise made to Abraham (as the apostle explains it, <a class="bibleref" title="Gal.3.17" href="/passage/?search=Gal.3.17">Gal. 3:17</a>) at his first coming into Canaan, during all which time <i>the children of Israel</i>, that is, the Hebrews, the distinguished chosen seed, were sojourners in a land that was not theirs, either Canaan or Egypt. So long the promise God made to Abraham of a settlement lay dormant and unfulfilled, but now, at length
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