Numbers 33:7

7 They departed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth,^[a] which faces Baal-zephon,^[b] and they camped before Migdol.^[c]

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 departed from Rameses and camped at Succoth.

6 They departed from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.

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

8 They departed from Pi-hahiroth and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They took a three-day journey into the Wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.

9 They departed from Marah and came to Elim. There were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms at Elim, so they camped there.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ex 14:2
• [b]. Ex 14:2,9
• [c]. Ex 14:2; Jr 46:14; Ezk 30:6