Armed and Few, How Many of Israel Came Up From Egypt

[11] "And God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea" (Exodus 13:18) — this teaches that He led them around by the way of the wilderness. "And the children of Israel went up armed [va-hamushim] out of the land of Egypt" (ibid.) — this teaches that they were armed with five [hamishah] kinds of weapons. Another interpretation: "and they went up armed [va-hamushim]" — this teaches that only one in five [hamishah] came up in their possession. Others say: one in fifty. Others say: one in five hundred. Rabbi Nehorai said: By the Temple service! Not even one in five hundred came up in their possession. Rabbi Yose said: "and they went up armed [va-hamushim]" — at the end of five [hamishah] generations they went up. "And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty" (Exodus 1:7). There were two Amoraim. One said: If you would compare them to the greatest among the creeping things, behold, the mouse gives birth to six at a time; and if you would compare them to the smallest among the creeping things, behold, the scorpion gives birth to sixty at a time.