We have reserved for the last place a difficulty on which Dr. Colenso
has expended all his powers of persuasion and all his skill in
figures--"the number of the Israelites at the time of the Exodus". Here
is his argument in a few words:--Jacob and his family numbered seventy
persons when they came down into Egypt. His descendants sojourned in
that country 215 years, and they went out with Moses in the fourth
generation. According to the Scripture narrative, when they were leaving
Egypt they numbered 600,000 men of twenty years old and upwards,
representing a population of about 2,000,000: but this is absolutely
impossible. Dr. Colenso assures us that "the multiplied impossibilities
introduced by this number alone, independent of all other
considerations, are enough to throw discredit upon the historical
character of the whole narrative" (part i. p. 143.) This bold assertion
he endeavours to establish by an elaborate argument extending over
several chapters. We must be content to present it in a condensed form
to our readers; but, in doing so, we shall adhere as closely as possible
to the language of the author.