How many of the first born were killed at the Passover?

Answer 1

Hi, There is a perfect answer for this in The Bible.I will be using a Biblical scripture from the 1611 King James Bible out of the book of Wisdom of Solomon. They Had so many dead first born that their wasn't enough living people to bury them.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:5 And when they (Egyptians) had determined to slay the babes of the saints(Israelites), one child (moses) being cast forth, and saved, to reprove them, thou tookest away the multitude of their children, and destroyedst them altogether in a mighty water.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:6 Of that night were our fathers certified afore, that assuredly knowing unto what oaths they had given credence, they might afterwards be of good cheer.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:7 So of thy people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:8 For wherewith thou didst punish our adversaries, by the same thou didst glorify us, whom thou hadst called.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:9 For the righteous children of good men did sacrifice secretly, and with one consent made a holy law, that the saints should be like partakers of the same good and evil, the fathers now singing out the songs of praise.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:10 But on the other side (The Egyptians) there sounded an ill according cry of the enemies, and a lamentable noise was carried abroad for children that were bewailed.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:11 The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common person.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:12 So they all together had innumerable dead with one kind of death; neither were the living sufficient to bury them: for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed.

The Wisdom of Solomon 18:13 For whereas they would not believe any thing by reason of the enchantments; upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged this people to be the sons of God.

Answer 2

The mature men were about 600,000 (Exodus 12:37), plus the 23,000 Levites (Numbers 3:39). To this must be added the converts (Exodus 12:38), and the women and children. Based on the ratio of firstborn to younger children (Numbers ch.3), it can be seen that the children were numerous. Estimates for the total number are usually given at two million or more.See also:

Timeline of Jewish history

In the Exodus, Moses brought the Israelites out of the Egyptian slavery under the guidance of God, after God brought plagues upon the Egyptians (Exodus ch.1-12).

After the Israelites left, Egypt was in turmoil for decades. Though Israel was later harassed (Judges ch.3,6 and 10) by its smaller neighbors (Ammon, Moab, Midian), not a peep was heard from Egypt for four hundred years.

Egypt's turmoil is also borne out by the Ipuwer papyri (Professor John van Seters, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology no. 50). The plagues were also described by ancient historians, including Herodotus and Diodorus. The Exodus is mentioned by Strabo, Berosus, Artapanus, Numenius, Justin, and Tacitus.

See also:

Archaeology and the Hebrew Bible

Debunking Bible-criticism

Answer 3

The Book of Exodus, supported by the Book of Numbers, says that 600,000 fighting men left Egypt. This is considered to mean approximately 2.5 million men, women and children. Since we know that the total population of Egypt was 3.5 million people at the time attributed to the Exodus, this would have left Egypt with a depleted economy and only 1 million people remaining. Historical records, however, make no mention of such an event, and the continued historical prosperity of Egypt after the supposed Exodus casts serious doubt on the veracity of the Biblical account. Moreover, no large population decrease occurred in ancient Egypt during the late Bronze Age.

Further, were the Egyptian army indeed crushed as Hebrew tradition states, the not-so-peaceful neighbours of Egypt -- the Babylonians and the Hittites -- would have immediately invaded the powerless empire, but no such invasion ever happened, and after almost four decades of indecisive war a peace treaty and a mutual defense pact were signed between Egypt and the Hittite empire.

Answer 4

In the Egyptian family every first born died.

Answer 5

Tens of thousands at least.