Contradiction with Deuteronomy 7:1
This verse specifies the nations that God commands the Israelites to destroy, implying separation from non-Israelites, contradicting the mixed multitude leaving Egypt with the Israelites in Exodus 12:38.
Deuteronomy 7:1: When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Contradiction with Nehemiah 13:3
This verse recounts the separation of the Israelites from foreigners after hearing the law, which contrasts with the inclusion of a mixed multitude in the Exodus narrative.
Nehemiah 13:3: Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Contradiction with Exodus 23:31-33
God instructs the Israelites not to make covenants with the inhabitants of the land, which contradicts the idea of a mixed multitude traveling with them as they leave Egypt.
Exodus 23:31-33: And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
Contradiction with Numbers 33:55
Warns against allowing foreigners to remain among the Israelites, challenging the integration implied by the mixed multitude leaving Egypt.
Numbers 33:55: But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them [shall be] pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
Contradiction with Leviticus 20:24
God distinguishes the Israelites from other peoples, emphasizing separation, which contrasts with a mixed multitude departing Egypt alongside them.
Leviticus 20:24: But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I [am] the LORD your God, which have separated you from [other] people.
Paradox #1
Exodus 12:38 mentions a "mixed multitude" leaving Egypt with the Israelites. This can be seen as inconsistent because the narrative often emphasizes the Israelites as a single, unified group. The mention of a diverse crowd raises questions about who these people were and how they fit into the story of a unified escape from Egypt.
Paradox #2
The contradiction or conflict in Exodus 12:38 could be seen in the idea of inclusivity versus exclusivity. This verse suggests a mix of different people leaving Egypt, implying diversity and inclusivity. However, subsequent biblical laws and narratives often emphasize the Israelites being a distinct and chosen people, which can seem exclusive. This tension between embracing outsiders and maintaining a unique identity could be seen as a moral inconsistency.