Who was the mixed multitude that traveled with Israel?
The mixed multitude were a great number of hangers-on who traveled with Israel along with all their livestock. Scripture identifies them as the mixed multitude. They accompanied the few million children of Israel as additional people, not as the main body of Israel.
Les emphasizes that the group leaving Egypt and entering the Promised Land was not a few thousand but a few million. Along with the children of Israel and their livestock, there was a great number of hangers-on, which Scripture calls the mixed multitude. They were part of the vast company traveling with Israel. Les notes that this great multitude, including the mixed multitude, was up against the Jordan River at flood time, and the Ark of the Covenant, carried by the priests, now led them rather than the cloud or pillar of fire.