Moses planned to do the same. However, taking the whole assemblage through it was definitely a first and therefore unsuspected. On land, they would be visible for days, tracked and harassed, to an inevitable and terrible end. But here, in the reeds, they could be out of sight in a matter of hours. This was what attracted him to this route in the first place. But of course, the best part was—chariots could not follow; they would be stuck in the oozing mud and it would take them far too long to circumvent this sea!

With the bulk of the Egyptian army tangled in the wilderness, Moses had just the fast moving chariots to contend with, for which of course he was more than prepared. Everything had fallen in place, or rather, everything had been perfectly orchestrated. It was now time for the final act. And, even as he raised his staff to give the signal, he could see in the distance, the advancing dust storm raised by the Pharaoh’s swift moving chariots. Down came his shaft. The Israelites rose as a body and surged forth through the Sea of Reeds—leaving in their wake, a broad avenue of trampled reeds, well defined by standing reeds on either side. To those who looked behind, it almost appeared as if the sea had been miraculously cleaved!

Okay, quick question. What just happened here? No, miracle is not the answer I am looking for, but yes, someone just organized and executed a picture-perfect military subterfuge! But who could have pulled off this fancy footwork? Evasive action that is hinged on deception and stop-clock synchronized maneuverings can only mean one thing. A veteran army, who understood the elements of military deception and indeed was capable of moving as one, could alone have possibly executed this grand subterfuge.

Have you recently watched Animal Planet; the one that shamefacedly cashes in on the mind-numbing drama of death enacted by prey and predator in the animal world? Go ahead and watch it, but for a change, keep your eyes glued on the prey and watch with awe the scintillating evasive action it takes. It has, you will find, an unimaginable repertoire of elusive tactics up its camouflaged sleeves! The uncanny ability to hide in the predator’s blind spots or blend into shadow or change color—or indeed, wriggle through the unlikeliest of escape routes!

The point is, evasive action, especially the one hinged on deception—the kind evident in the Exodus subterfuge—takes great finesse to plan and greater dexterity to execute. What is more, this manner of fancy footwork would take years of military training for men to emulate. Yes, I can see a disciplined company of veteran soldiers like Herodotus’ Asmach do it in a flash. They were, after all, elite corps—the very best of the best. Indeed, Herodotus, who has no axe to grind, gets full marks for his company. The Bible however bombs with its mob. I cannot see a barely-in-control rabble of brick makers and slaves, burdened with families, livestock, loot and unleavened bread, pulling off the Sea of Reeds stunt!

Here lies a minor enigma. While the ancient world secular sources emphatically say ‘soldiers,’ the Bible mulishly takes an ambiguous stance and vacillates between a slave and professional soldier profile. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, the Bible promptly grabs it and paints the Jews as oppressed slaves. However, the slave profile seems contrived, for ever so often the mask slips, revealing the diametrically opposite profile of professional soldiers. The professional soldier profile is also the one better mated with the unfolding storyline of unremitting aggression that the Bible reveals.
Let us begin our comparative study by resolving this minor ambiguity.

Oppression

Although Herodotus speaks of elite soldiers of Egypt, this too is a story of oppression. However, how can professional soldiers be oppressed, you wonder. This is easily explained. The harassment was inflicted by a politician, the king, with an ulterior motive. The king wanted the Asmach to leave and therefore he engineered their exit. Politicians, kings, and their like, do know very well how to make even a company of seasoned soldiers squirm.

Biblical Concurrence

The Bible’s version is similar. The Jews too were oppressed in Egypt by a king. A new king, possibly one who ushered in a new lineage, is said to have contrived to drive them out.

Organized Armies

Both histories speak of organized professional armies. Herodotus speaks of three garrisons of elite Asmach soldiers. Three garrisons were maintained at that time in Egypt. One in the city of Elephantine against the Ethiopians, another in the Pelusiac Daphnae against the Syrians and Arabians and a third, against the Libyans in Marea. All three garrisons were involved in this act of desertion. Herodotus puts the number down at 240,000 soldiers. Let us see if the Bible agrees with all this garrison talk and has the numbers to match.

Biblical Concurrence

Actually, the Bible does even better. The Book of Numbers gives us a peek into a military camp and gives us a detailed description as to how these professional soldiers reorganized themselves into a 12-division army in a very professional manner. Indeed, the individual strengths of the 12-division Jewish army that reorganized under family banners in the wilderness of Kadesh, is meticulously recorded in the Bible. The total count of soldiers given is 603,550.

Now admittedly, the activities mentioned in the book of Numbers, does give the impression of a fledgling makeshift army being hastily assembled together. Indeed, that is how the Bible presents it. Able-bodied men between the age of twenty and sixty were conscripted to form a provisional army.

It is possible however, to interpret the above-mentioned flurry of activities as a restructuring of a professional army. The argument is as such. If the Jews were indeed professional soldiers while in Egypt, then clearly, their first priority at camp Horeb would be to reorganize back into cohesive fighting units. Teamwork is essential in warfare. This is why, after every battle, the first order of business always is to rearrange or reconstitute the soldiers back to cohesive fighting units.

Now, even if the garrisons in question had deserted en bloc from Egypt as Herodotus reports, there still would be need to reorganize the soldiers into say, smaller units, or, reshuffle them in accordance with the new management’s policies. These may well have included a plan to group the soldiers under family banners to facilitating a future resettlement program.

Given the above arguments, it is very likely that the hustle and bustle that we read of in the Book of Numbers, could well have been former Egyptian mercenaries realigning themselves into a twelve-division army (under family banners), to befit or better serve their brand new status, as the first army of independent Israel. Indeed, the more you look at this ideology, the more feasible it sounds. For example, it might now strike you, why would untrained men for any reason engage in such marked regimentation. In the real world, who other than professional soldiers reconnoiter, reshuffle, or restructure?

Second Generation Army

Here is another issue that needs to be resolved. The Bible talks of two generations of Exodus soldiers. A first generation of slave-turned-to makeshift-soldiers who stumbled out of Egypt and a second generation of professional soldiers that rose like a phoenix in the wilderness during the forty-year halt.

The second generation, instead of learning the gentle art of baking bread or bricks, learnt instead the art of warfare, which clearly was the need of the hour. And, it was this resurgent second-generation army of professional soldiers that Joshua used with brilliant effect, to carve a sizable portion of Canaan.

However, closer examination reveals discernable discrepancies. Was there actually a second-generation army? Was there really a forty-year halt? These are some of the doubts that come to mind, especially if you are willing to ask a few pertinent questions such as, what happened to the first generation army of 603,550 slaves? The terse answer given in the Bible is, they perished to the last man during the forty-year period, leaving just two persons, Joshua and a crusty individual by the name of Caleb. Apparently, the Eschol Valley debacle put the God of the Old Testament in such a foul mood that he cursed the entire first-generation army to die in the wilderness.

Okay, we can accept that. But now the question is, what about the all-important textual potshards to support the demise of 603,550 slaves? In addition, where is the textual evidence to support the emergence of the new generation? It is not there, at least not in sufficient detail. The first-generation army, it is said, fell to diseases; a sizable lot was done in by a devastating fire; and the rest defeated by inglorious old age and attendant death. Indeed, the original army of 603,550 strong is vanquished almost to the last man, in a couple of brief sentences.

While there are complete chapters in the Bible devoted to reorganizing and so on, there is nothing to bid adieu to this 603,550 army of brave-hearts, who had broken the 420-year yoke of subjugation. These men were heroes and yet not an extra sentence or stone is spared to mark their graves. This is incongruous and especially so for a people who commemorate every event, every circumcision with much fanfare.

Same is the case with the second-generation army as well. Here again there is no textual evidence. One minute the Bible is talking about the first generation army and in the next, it is the second. It all happens in a sentence or two, requiring us to reread the paragraph just to spot the swap. Where are the pages that record their training? Why do we not hear the echo of their voices of frustration reverberating in the wilderness? Surely, they would have been yet another handful for the God of the Old Testament, who in turn would have suffered them with much histrionics. Where are these precious pages gone?

The brevity and the sleight of hand manner in which the swapping of sizable armies is done, in my opinion, reveals the hand of man rather than that of the God. The forty-year period woven into the text, appears to be the crucial facilitator for this editorial exercise. The thinking here appears to be, ‘anything can be accommodated if given adequate time.’

Biblical scholars, for once are in agreement with me. They too are of the opinion that the 40-year duration mentioned is figurative—worked into the text to strengthen the hands of the God of the Old Testament, to give more bite to his curse. I feel that it has been cleverly incorporated to effect the swapping of the armies. For some reason, the Bible wishes its readers to think that the first generation who broke out of captivity were hapless slaves and it was a second generation, need-of-the-hour professional soldiers, trained in the wilderness, that won them their battles at Canaan. Rewritten as such, the story becomes palatable, wins our sympathies and generally sits better with the quasi-spiritual theme the Bible strains to impart.

Negotiations

Moving on, both histories record a negotiation of sorts with the Pharaoh King of Egypt, concerning their imminent departure. Herodotus records the king futilely begging the soldiers not to leave. His version is fairly straightforward and believable. When the king’s own mercenaries decide to desert for whatever reason, there is little that he can do other than to plead. Hence, the king actively negotiating from a disadvantageous position is actually a perfectly acceptable scenario.

Biblical Concurrence

Even in the Bible, the Pharaoh King of Egypt is seen patiently hearing out the Moses-Aaron team. He even accommodates their veiled threats and magic with patience and exemplary tolerance. Contrary to popular belief and despite the fact that he had misgivings, the Pharaoh King of Egypt, when asked, readily gave permission to the Jews to go and worship in the desert. Forewarned by his ministers that something was afoot, he is seen here at his diplomatic best.

How is it that the slaves were so well organized and in a position to negotiate terms with the world’s most powerful ruler, the Pharaoh King of Egypt, you wonder? It simply does not add up. Nevertheless, as a concurrence it does tot up very nicely indeed. Both histories record protracted negotiation with the Pharaoh King of Egypt and in both instances, the king is seen to take a less aggressive ‘almost on his knees’ stance.

Bloodless Exit

Both histories are emphatic that this desertion-exodus occurred without the loss of life. The scenario painted by Herodotus clearly says so. The soldiers marched off without hindrance or reprisal. The king initiated no military action to stop them. From Herodotus we hear a believable story. A combat-ready army of mercenaries does somewhat dampen one’s enthusiasm for confrontation. Best let them pass; allow them to take what they want on their way out.

Biblical Concurrence

The story the Bible offers is remarkably similar. The Jews too went out of Egypt without bloodshed. The only difference is, they were slaves and they managed their exit with God at the wheels and miracles spewing from the tailpipe!

Indeed, an avalanche of miracles is described. Ten plagues are laid out back to back, after which the sea is cleaved. Still not content, two pillars, one of clouds the other of fire, are whirled in. In all, thirteen separate feats of miracles are presented end-to-end, leaving us wondering, why is there such an over kill at this juncture.

It is not that I am unwilling to concede to a miracle or two. The Bible, after all, strains to convey a spiritual import and I would be only too glad to allow the standard allowance of miracles. The problem here however is of plenitude. There are far too many miracles happening at this particular juncture. In fact, it is only here, at this juncture, that the Old Testament resorts to or reports miracles. Miracles, by the way, are strictly a New Testament phenomenon, a Jesus thing, where they are proclaimed straight-faced at every turn of page. The Old Testament, on the other hand, regardless of its old world eccentricities and eye-for-an-eye dictum, is a down-to-earth presentation that ordinarily steers clear of miracles.

Why then were miracles used so inexpertly now, you wonder. The only answer that comes to mind is that it is a desperate remedy, an attempt to fix a hemorrhaging wound. Someone had surgically excised out ‘belligerent and bristling-with-arms mercenaries’ from the original storyline and replaced them with ‘broken-backed and browbeaten brick-makers.’ Unfortunately, this editorial exercise—a glaring inconsistency if ever there was one—did not mate well with the unfolding storyline of unprecedented slaughter. Sheep, after all, cannot be expected to leave the spoor of a mountain lion. What came immediately under the glaring arc light of disbelief is the ‘no-bloodshed’ exit from Egypt. Who would believe that slaves could waltz out of Egypt without it becoming a bloodbath? I for one cannot see it happening. Luckily, the men who were straining to rewrite this story too were unable to figure this one out. However, not knowing how to fix it, in sheer desperation, this august body of well-meaning Bible editors, bandaged the whole thing with yards and yards of miracles, and surreptitiously tied the end to the God of the Old Testament’s coattail!

Looting

Ah, here is something that fits in well with the mercenary soldier theme. I am of course referring to the looting carried out by the Jews on the eve of departure. It clearly indicates that the Jews were armed and dangerous. The Bible documents, “And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment... ” [Exodus 12.35]

Once again, I find it hard to believe that the ancient world’s super power stood by, as if bewitched, when the Jews blithely filled their war chest. The Bible shrewdly uses the term ‘borrowing’ in an effort to blunt this clear act of aggression. After the long-drawn negotiation drama with the Pharaoh, the plagues and all, are we to assume that the city and its citizens, was oblivious as to what was going on? When the news of this event had spread like a forest fire to the neighboring city-states, when all roads were being monitored and every city-state for hundreds of miles in every direction had sealed their respective borders, are we to accept that the Egyptians alone were oblivious to the event unfolding under their noses and naively lent their hard-earned wealth to the Jews? I think not. An unbiased view of the incident would be that of belligerent soldiers systematically looting the cities at spear point before exiting.

Secular Source Concurrence

Herodotus does not document the Deserters going on a looting spree before departing from Egypt. He does however document the fact that they were elite mercenaries of Egypt and even the Pharaoh King of Egypt who tried to stop them had to resort to begging. It is therefore conceivable that such an outfit may well have helped themselves to some ‘gold and raiment’ to help them along on the way. But yes, it is not documented. Then again, why record something so crassly predictable may well have been the thinking here.

What we need to take home from this incident is the fact that the looting spree recorded in the Bible is a better fit with the Deserter’s aggressive profile than with that of the Exodus slaves.

Similarities apart, if the two exoduses were separate occurrences, as scholars currently believe, it would mean that Egypt, the superpower of the ancient world, was incapable of stemming devastating loss of work force—twice. No kingdom can afford such a loss. It would have had exhausting economic repercussions in Egypt as well as in the neighboring kingdoms. Also, the influx of such a large company into adjoining regions would have created a separate wave of economic and territorial tension. Considering the scale of the events and its attendant repercussions, the chances that they occurred twice in Egypt are very slim indeed.

To conclude, strong evidence suggests that the Exodus Jews were in fact professional, ‘Egypt-trained’ mercenaries, just like the Deserters of Herodotus or the Sembritae of Strabo. The Exodus did take place, for we now have two ancient world historians corroborating this fact in great detail.

Modern-day scholars who currently deny its occurrence and are willing to charitably concede to just a handful of Jews having slinked away from Egypt, six hundred being their best take-or-leave-it offer, will not be so darned pleased.