Exodus 12:38 (New International Version)
Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.
Exodus 12:38 (King James Version)
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
Exodus 12:38 (Young’s Literal Translation)
and a great rabble also hath gone up with them, and flock and herd--very much cattle.
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First, let’s discuss gentiles and Israelites…
Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel” at Peniel (or Penuel; meaning “Face of God”). Peniel was a place not far from Succoth, on the east of the Jordan and north of the river Jabbok.. It was here he wrestled with an angel of the Lord. Israel’s descendants are called Israelites.
Anyone who is not an Israelite is a gentile.
Genesis 32:24-30 (KJV)…
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
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There were people of other nationalities that accompanied the Israelites when they left Egypt. The Egyptians made slaves of many people; even other Egyptians. These people were probably just as anxious as the Israelites to escape the cruelty of slavery.
Here are some additional scriptures indicating that gentiles were among the Israelites in the wilderness: (I will list the KJV as well as the NIV)
Numbers 11:4 (KJV)…
And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Numbers 11:4 (NIV)…
The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!
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Leviticus 24:10-16 (KJV)…
10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;
11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.
13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
Leviticus 24:10-16 (NIV)…
10 Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite.
11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)
12 They put him in custody until the will of the LORD should be made clear to them.
13 Then the LORD said to Moses:
14 "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.
15 Say to the Israelites: 'If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible;
16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.
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Hardening of Pharaoh’s heart:
Exodus 7:1-5 (KJV)…
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
Exodus 7:1-5 (NIV)...
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country.
3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt,
4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites.
5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it."
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Pharaoh was not in favor of letting the Israelites go. They did a lot of work. They were free slave labor. And yes, some Egyptians as well as people of other nationalities left with them.
But Pharaoh’s anger over the loss of slave labor did not cause the hardening of his heart.
In his heart, he was resistant to God. That is what a hard heart is. God did not make him that way. He chose to be that way! He was rebellious, proud and haughty; with no desire to repent. He set himself up for a fall. Pharaoh was headed down-hill before he ever met Moses.
Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)…
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
God knew Pharaoh’s heart. He knew he was not going to change.
He knew that Pharaoh had already chosen his path.
God did not cause Pharaoh’s a hard heart. But He did use Pharaoh’s rebellion to show His divine authority as Almighty God.
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Micah 6:8 (KJV)…
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
