Numbers 33:7

7 They marched from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol.

Numbers 33:7 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 33:7

And they removed from Etham, and turned again to Pihahiroth,
&c.] Which was sixteen miles from Etham. This turning, Aben Ezra says, respects the cloud, or Israel; and indeed it may respect both, for, as the cloud turned, Israel turned, being directed by it; and this does not mean that they had been at Pihahiroth before, and now returned to it again; but that they by direction turned out of the straight way in which they were to go to Pihahiroth; for the word "again" may as well, or better, be left out, (See Gill on Exodus 14:2):

which is before Baalzephon;
the name of an idol, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, supposed to be placed here, to watch and guard the passage, as Zephon signifies:

and they pitched before Migdol:
which was either the name of a city, the same with Migdol, ( Jeremiah 44:1 ) or it was a tower, as the word signifies, placed here on the borders of the land, for the defence of it.

Numbers 33:7 In-Context

5 The Israelites marched from Rameses and they camped at Succoth.

6 They marched from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.

7 They marched from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol.

8 They marched from Pi-hahiroth and they crossed through the sea toward the desert.

9 Then they traveled three days in the Etham desert and they camped at Marah.They marched from Marah and arrived at Elim. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees and they camped there.