A mixed multitude is literally “a large mixture,” but the exact meaning of “mixture” is uncertain. The word is used in Neh 13.3 (Revised Standard Version “those of foreign descent”), and in Jer 25.20 (“foreign folk”) and 25.24 (“mixed tribes”). New American Bible has “a crowd of mixed ancestry,” and Durham “a large and motley group.” At least the word also indicates that the “other people” (Good News Translation) were not considered Israelites. This first sentence may then be expressed as “A large number of people who were not Israelites also went with them.” Went up is literally “to ascend,” which probably means from a lower to a higher elevation, but most translations do not show this. (See the discussion at 3.8.) Good News Translation simply has “went with them.” Contemporary English Version has “Many other people went with them as well.”

And very many cattle uses the broad term that means “livestock” (New Revised Standard Version). This included smaller animals, that is, the flocks, both “sheep” and “goats,” as well as larger animals, the herds, both cattle and donkeys. (See the comment at 10.9.)

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• A large number of people who were not Israelites also went with them. There were also many sheep, goats, and cattle.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .