The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-16
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.


BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The past casts it's spell over the
present, and 1 noticed when going
through the Suez canal and the upper
reaches of the Red sea that the pas
sengers were talking mostly about the
scenes enacted in this region at the
time of the Exodus rather than ABOUT
the engineering wonders of the canal
itself. The figure of Moses loolned
large over this region. AS one goes
by rail from Suez to Cairo, he looks
out over the very scenes witnessed
bv the fleeing children of Israel. The
historicity of this event and the &C
tuality of the places is to be stressed.
Some of us have been over part OF
the region of the Exodus story While
our friends have traVersed every foot
of it. There is danger that many
readers of the great Exodus narrative
will say with the old woman of the
story, We'll, now, I knew all those
places were in the Bible, but 1 never
thought of them being on the earth.
Looking into the flight of the chill
dren of Israel from beneath Pharaoh S
cruel rod, which the death of the
first-born had temporarily lifted, we
must remember that every year is
throwing collateral light upon this
story as men unearth and dec1pher
more monuments, and as they study
more deeply into the facts and IAN
guage of Scripture.
How Many Jews Made the Flight:
A huge and interesting point in this
story, which looms like pillar Of
fire on the horizon of history, is the
number of the host of the children
of Israel who were delivered from
Egypt. The accepted belief has been
that there were three million. This
is built on the statement that there
were six hundred thousand fighting
men. Taking the common average of
five persons to a family, this immense
total has been reached. Critics have
not been slow to point out the diff
culties of leading such a host, and the
practical impossibility of sustaining
them on the Sinai Peninsula. The
passage of the Red sea in night by
three million persons seems lncred-
ible.
The gloating has been premature.
Scholars are now showing by evil
dence that seems incontrOVertible that |
the word translated thousands in
this and many passages, is also the
word used for families or clans.
This whole subject is illuminatingly |
treated in DR.. Hoskins' book, From |
the Nile to Nebo." This removes all !
difficulties at a stroke. The word |
''alaf,' if taken to mean families, |
means that there were six hundred |
families who made the Exodus Or.
Hoskins' conclusion is, THE numbers
of the children of Israel were some
here about 100000 souls, and these
figures will be found to fit in salts
factorily with the conditions in Egypt
before the Exodus with the condi-
lions and possibilities through the
Exodus itself and supply all the re
quirements for the growth and eN-
tension of the kingdom after the EX-
Odus.'
The same authority suggests three
illustrations:
1t might also be remarked here for
the sake of those who may find a diff
Guilty in letting go of the exaggerated
bers which have played a part in
our mental conceptions since our child
hood to recall another fact, that it was
not the great numbers in the Anaba-
sis 10000 Greeks),' who marched up
from the coast to the sea, nor the
MosIem Hegira (departure) 150 per
sons), nor the great number on board
the Mayf1ower (102 souls), which made
these movements famous and moment
lus in history, but the principles. moral
and spiritual which led and sustained
these soldiers and pilgrims through
their dangers and vicissitudes, also
is it true in the matter of the Exodus.
It's Importance for our race lies not in
its numbers, great or small, but in the
message of Gods truth which they
carried in their breasts
The Place of the Crossing.
The old figure of speech that we
stand on the shoulders of all who have
lived before Us is especially applicable
to Bible study. Fifty years have let
IN a flood of light upon the history of
he Bible from sources undreamed of
lur fathers. We now know multi
Jude of archaeological facts that show
The reasons for many of the actions
exported in the Bile history without
Thus the Children of
Israel might have chosen three routes
lut of Egypt-one up along the Med
terranean shore which is still the di-
-ectest route from Canaan. but which ,
would have led them into instant con-
iict with the Philistines; second. the
entral route through the great Egypt I
an wall which was guarded by
oharaoh's troops. or the third route !
below the lower end of the wall which, :
however, involved a crossing of the :
Red Sea. Be it remembered that Moses :
vas perfectly familiar with this en- '
ire region. Even as the war de- i
,artments of all governments today :
nap out in advance the routes of their /.
-rmies in case of war, so Moses had =
ecided upon the best way of delivering {
lis hundred thousand compatriots. 1t i
vas necessary to get them off where =
hey might be disciplined for at the
moment thew were but a fleeing horde
Another question from DR. Hoskins
5 in order:
Taking my stand on the historicity
f the Exodus. l am just as clear that
here was only one route possible for
UGH a mass of people, that it was
hat, contrary to the common concep- 7
ion, it was along a well-known Route
f Antiquity. an old road from Egypt
D Edom. Arabia and Mesopotamia.
he Route fits the documents as the
ey fits the lock-
The Wind of Delivery. 9
The ancient assurance that He =
oideth the winds in his fist is called :,
, mind as We read that when the r
hildren of Israel found themselves in +,
cul de sac. with Pharaoh at their V
eelS and the waters of the unner end @