Exodus 12:38 · Bible study
Exodus 12:38 Commentary: Mixed Multitude
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Who were the 'mixed multitude' that went up with Israel from Egypt? This study explores their identity and what their presence means for the people of God.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A large, ethnically mixed group of non-Israelites joined the Hebrew exodus.
- Key words: “erev” (mixed company, H6154), “rav” (numerous, H7227), “kaved me’od” (very heavy/large, H3515 + H3966).
- Main debate: Whether the mixed multitude were Egyptians, other Semites, or proselytes seeking God.
- Theological theme: The people of God have always included outsiders; inclusion requires formation and sometimes creates trouble.
- Best use: Preaching on church diversity, the inclusion of Gentiles, and the realism of a mixed community on the journey of faith.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And a mixed multitude also went up with them, along with great droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.
WEB World English Bible 2000
A mixed multitude went up also with them, with flocks, herds, and even very much livestock.
KJV King James Version 1769
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and a great rabble also hath gone up with them, and flock and herd--very much cattle.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks and herds — very much cattle.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And a mixed multitude, without number, went up also with them, sheep and herds, and beasts of divers kinds, exceeding many.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y también subió con ellos grande multitud de diversa suerte de gentes; y ovejas, y ganados muy muchos|strong="H3966, H3515".
E também subiu com eles grande multidão de diversa variedade de gentes; e ovelhas, e gados muito muitos.
Une multitude de gens de toute espèce montèrent avec eux; ils avaient aussi des troupeaux considérables de brebis et de bœufs.
Und es zog auch mit ihnen viel Pöbelvolk und Schafe und Rinder, sehr viel Vieh.
En veel vermengd volk trok ook met hen op, en schapen, en runderen, gans veel vee.
E una folla di gente d’ogni specie salì anch’essa con loro; e avevano pure greggi, armenti, bestiame in grandissima quantità.
Ale i ludu pospolitego wiele szło z nimi, i owiec, i bydła, dobytek bardzo wielki.
и множество разноплеменных людей вышли с ними, и мелкий и крупный скот, стадо весьма большое.
又有 許多 閒雜人，並有羊群 牛群，和他們 一同上去。
And a mixed band of people went with them; and flocks and herds in great numbers.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 12:38
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the “mixed multitude” (Hebrew: erev rav) refers to non-Israelites who left Egypt alongside the Israelites. Barnes identifies them as “remains of the old Semitic population.” Calvin suggests they were Egyptians or migrants attracted by Egypt’s fertility, now fleeing its devastation. Cambridge sees them as “non-Israelites of various kinds,” including intermarried families and prisoners. Gill adds that some were proselytes, others driven by worldly interest. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calls them “a great rabble” of slaves and low-status persons.
All note that these outsiders attached themselves to God’s people, though their motives were mixed. This pattern recurs in Numbers 11:4, where the “mixed multitude” lust for meat, sparking conflict. Their presence reminds us that God’s saving work draws a diverse, sometimes messy company, the church has always gathered people from many backgrounds, with many reasons for following.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Egyptian / foreign proselytes: Gill and some rabbinic traditions see them as attracted to Israel’s God; supported by Zech 8:23.
- Semitic / slave population: Barnes and JFB view them as oppressed people seeking escape; based on social context.
- Opportunistic rabble: Wesley and Calvin emphasize worldly motives; note the later trouble in Numbers 11:4.
What is clear: They were non-Israelites who joined the exodus, and their presence is recorded as part of God’s deliverance.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the mixed multitude | Non-Israelites left Egypt with Israel. | Barnes sees remnants of old Semitic population; Gill includes proselytes; Calvin sees Egyptians and neighboring strangers; JFB sees slaves and low-class persons. |
| Their motives | They chose to leave Egypt. | Calvin says despair at Egypt's devastation; Gill says worldly interest and religious attraction; Wesley says 'rude unthinking mob'. |
| Significance for the covenant community | Their presence shows the exodus community was not exclusively ethnic Israel. | Some see a negative influence (Num 11:4 trouble), others a positive foreshadowing of Gentile inclusion (Zech 8:23). |
| Their fate | They are mentioned again only in Numbers 11:4 and Nehemiah 13:3 (separation). | Whether they fully assimilated or remained a separate problematic group. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Exodus from Rameses to Succoth involved not only the 600,000 Israelite men but also a diverse crowd attracted by hope, fear, or relationship. Egypt’s population included many non-Egyptians, Semitic laborers, prisoners of war, and refugees from earlier migrations. The plagues shattered Egypt economically and socially (livestock destroyed, crops ruined), making many eager to flee with the Israelites.
The Hebrew phrase erev rav appears only here and in Numbers 11:4; later in Nehemiah 13:3 it describes those separated from Israel. The word erev (H6154) suggests a mingled group, and rav (H7227) emphasizes its size. “Flocks and herds” appear without the definite article, as Ellicott notes, implying the livestock described may also have belonged to this mixed group, not exclusively to Israelites. The phrase “very much cattle” (Hebrew: mikneh kaved me’od, livestock heavy very) underlines the abundance of possessions that accompanied the exodus.
Calvin observes that Egypt had become a devastated land, and many foreigners or even natives “shook off the yoke of tyranny when a way to liberty was opened.” Intermarriage between Israelites and Egyptians (cf. Leviticus 24:10) also produced families with divided loyalties. So the exodus community was multi-ethnic from the start, a pattern that would continue through Israel’s history.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 12:38. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. Some English translations vary the phrase (“mixed multitude” vs. “great rabble”), reflecting interpretation of erev rav, not textual variation.
Reception History
Jewish tradition often blames the erev rav for instigating the golden calf and other wilderness sins. Christian commentators from the Reformation (Calvin, Matthew Henry) saw them as a warning against mixed motives; Calvin called them “ungodly men with no better hope.” Wesley viewed them as a “rude unthinking mob.” In modern times, this verse is used to discuss ethnic diversity within the church and the openness of God’s covenant to all who attach themselves to His people, echoing the promise of Zechariah 8:23 that nations will take hold of the Jew and say, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s deliverance attracts all kinds of people. The mixed multitude shows that the exodus was not a closed ethnic movement; outsiders saw hope and joined.
- Mixed motives do not disqualify people from God’s company. Some came from fear, some from faith, some from curiosity, yet all traveled with Israel.
- The journey tests the heart. Numbers 11:4 reveals that the same multitude later became a source of grumbling, reminding us that external association does not guarantee inner transformation.
Five-point outline
- Inclusive salvation: The door of exodus opened to Egyptians, Semites, and slaves, all who chose to leave.
- Diverse community: The church has always been a “mixed multitude” of believers and seekers, strong and weak.
- Material provision: “Very much cattle” (Exodus 12:38) shows God supplied abundantly for the journey, even through the mixed group.
- Foreshadowing inclusion: This multitude anticipates the nations streaming to Zion (Zechariah 8:23) and the Gentile inclusion in the New Covenant.
- Pastoral realism: Not everyone who starts the journey finishes well. The mixed multitude challenges congregations to nurture genuine discipleship.
Illustration hooks
- A community relief operation after a natural disaster: many join to help, but some come out of curiosity or for personal gain.
- A popular church plant: newcomers arrive for the music, the community, or genuine faith, the congregation must welcome all while shaping hearts.
- A company buyout: employees choose to stay with the new owners for security, loyalty, or opportunity, only time reveals their true commitment.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Were these people saved? Did they become part of God’s covenant people?
- Why would non-Israelites want to leave Egypt after the plagues?
- Does God accept followers with mixed motives?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in the midst of the exodus account, highlighting that the people leaving Egypt were not a homogeneous group. The presence of a “mixed multitude” raises questions about identity, motives, and the nature of God’s people from the beginning.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “mixed multitude” suggest about the composition of the exodus community?
- Read Numbers 11:4. How did this mixed group later affect Israel?
- Why might God include mention of such a group in the inspired record?
- In what ways are today’s churches a “mixed multitude”? Is that a problem or an opportunity?
- How does the law about strangers and the Passover (Exodus 12:48-49) speak to the inclusion of outsiders?
- What does the presence of “very much cattle” tell us about God’s provision for the journey?
- How can we discern between genuine and superficial faith in our own lives?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 11:4 | The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly; and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? |
| Zechariah 8:23 | Yahweh of Armies says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the mixed multitude as likely remnants of the old Semitic population, people whom the ruling Egyptians distrusted and who therefore wanted to flee. He also highlights the large number of cattle as important, showing that Israelite property was not confiscated under oppression and that this livestock later sustained them in the wilderness.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues the mixed multitude that joined Israel was likely Egyptians or neighboring foreigners attracted to live there, not Abraham's servants. He reasons that Jacob's family was too poor during the famine to have many servants, and the plagues devastated Egypt so severely that many inhabitants would flee.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The mixed multitude that left Egypt with Israel were non-Israelites of various kinds: Egyptians who had intermarried, other Semites who had found their way there, and prisoners of war. The reference to flocks and herds links back to earlier requests for livestock.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the surprising sight of a great mixed crowd of people joining Israel's departure, along with huge numbers of sheep, cattle and other livestock. This detail emphasizes the scale of the exodus: a large, diverse company and substantial animal wealth left Egypt together.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill categorizes the mixed multitude not as one group but as people with different motives: those joined by marriage, religious converts, and those drawn by self‑interest after seeing God’s favor on Israel. He also notes the cattle were preserved partly because Egyptians heeded God’s warning during the hail plague.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the mixed multitude as a great rabble of low-ranking slaves and foreigners, the lowest grades of society. Bound by shared misery, they gladly seized the opportunity to escape with the Israelites, joining the crowd out of self-interest rather than faith in God.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that the traditional starting point of the Exodus at Belbeis is impossible, because a nation of two million people with families and livestock could not cover the distance to the Red Sea in three days. They place the departure instead near Heroopolis, which fits the geography and the timeline of Pharaoh summoning Moses. They also defend the figure of six hundred thousand men as a natural result of population growth over four centuries.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes that Israel left Egypt without a moment's delay, knowing Pharaoh's favorable mood would not last. He marvels that 70 souls grew to over 600,000 fighting men in just 200 years, seeing this as the power of God's blessing and a foreshadowing of the early church's explosive growth.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley speculates that the mixed multitude was largely an unthinking mob that followed without clear reason, though some may have been driven by the devastation of the plagues. He suspects most of them later abandoned Israel when they learned of the forty-year wilderness journey. The mention of abundant livestock highlights how Pharaoh long resisted letting them take their cattle.