Poole, Reginald S.: The cities of Egypt (London, 1882)

MIGDOL.

125

(Exod. xiii. 17). This confirms the identification of
Migdol with Magdolos. Having reached that point,
the natural course would have been to turn eastward
to Pelusium, and follow the coast-road leading to the
Philistine country ; but there was danger of war (Exod.
1. a), and therefore the Hebrews were commanded to
' return and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol
and the sea, over against Baal-zephon.' They were to
encamp by the sea, and Pharaoh would suppose that they
were entangled in the land, and shut in by the wilderness
(Exod. xiv. 2, 3). We cannot identify either Pi-hahiroth
or Baal-zephon. Dr. Brugsch, however, thinks with
reason that Pi-hahiroth should be read ' the mouth of the
abysses,' indicating a place of quicksands. Baal-zephon
was no doubt the seat of the worship of a ' Baal of the
north,' a name which tells us to look for this site in the
north of the isthmus. The worship of Baal did not
extend to the south of Egypt; the north of its eastern
territory is thus implied.

The position of Migdol is at first perplexing. The
encampment between Migdol and the sea would be
rather to the north-east than, as we should have ex-
pected, to the west of the ancient head of the gulf.