Bamidbar 33:7

7 And they set out from Etam, and turned back unto Pi HaChirot, which is before Ba’al Tzephon; and they encamped before Migdol.

Bamidbar 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.

Bamidbar 33:7 In-Context

5 And the Bnei Yisroel set out from Rameses, and encamped in Sukkot.

6 And they set out from Sukkot, and encamped in Etam, which is on the edge of the midbar.

7 And they set out from Etam, and turned back unto Pi HaChirot, which is before Ba’al Tzephon; and they encamped before Migdol.

8 And they set out from before HaChirot, and passed through the midst of the yam into the midbar, and went derech shloshet yamim (a three days’ journey) in the midbar of Etam, and encamped in Marah.

9 And they set out from Marah, and came unto Elim; and in Elim were twelve einot mayim (springs of water), and threescore and ten temarim (palm trees); and they encamped there.