Exodus 14:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi–hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal–zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
Exodus 14:2 in other translations
| BSB | “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon. |
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| WEB | “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea. |
| ASV | Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon: over against it shall ye encamp by the sea. |
| YLT | ‘Speak unto the sons of Israel, and they turn back and encamp before Pi-Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-Zephon; over-against it ye do encamp by the sea, |
| DARBY | Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea: before Baal-Zephon, opposite to it, shall ye encamp by the sea. |
| BBE | Give orders to the children of Israel to go back and put up their tents before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon, opposite to which you are to put up your tents by the sea. |
| Webster | Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. |
What does Exodus 14:2 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Ex 14:1-31. God Instructs the Israelites as to Their Journey.
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp--The Israelites had now completed their three days' journey, and at Etham the decisive step would have to be taken whether they would celebrate their intended feast and return, or march onwards by the head of the Red Sea into the desert, with a view to a final departure. They were already on the borders of the desert, and a short march would have placed them beyond the reach of pursuit, as the chariots of Egypt could have made little progress over dry and yielding sand. But at Etham, instead of pursuing their journey eastward with the sea on their right, they were suddenly commanded to diverge to the south, keeping the gulf on their left; a route which not only detained them lingering on the confines of Egypt, but, in adopting it, they actually turned their backs on the land of which they had set out to obtain the possession. A movement so unexpected, and of which the ultimate design was carefully concealed, could not but excite the astonishment of all, even of Moses himself, although, from his implicit faith in the wisdom and power of his heavenly Guide, he obeyed. The object was to entice Pharaoh to pursue, in order that the moral effect, which the judgments on Egypt had produced in releasing God's people from bondage, might be still further extended over the nations by the awful events transacted at the Red Sea. Pi-hahiroth--the mouth of the defile, or pass--a description well suited to that of Bedea, which extended from the Nile and opens on the shore of the Red Sea. Migdol--a fortress or citadel. Baal-zephon--some marked site on the opposite or eastern coast.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 14:1-9
Pharaoh would think that all Israel was entangled in the wilderness, and so would become an easy prey. But God says, I will be honoured upon Pharaoh. All men being made for the honour of their Maker, those whom he is not honoured by, he will be honoured upon. What seems to tend to the church's ruin, is often overruled to the ruin of the church's enemies. While Pharaoh gratified his malice and revenge, he furthered…
Exodus 14:2 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Exodus 14:2
- Numbers 33:7-8
And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi–hahiroth, which is before Baal–zephon: and they pitched before Migdol. And they departed from before Pi–hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.
- Jeremiah 44:1
The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,
- Exodus 13:17-18
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
- Jeremiah 46:14
Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.
- Exodus 14:9
But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi–hahiroth, before Baal–zephon.
- Ezekiel 29:10
Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9; 13:17,18; Nu 33:7,8
Pi-hahiroth.{Pi-hachiroth,} "the mouth of Chiroth," as it is rendered by the LXX. Dr. Shaw is of opinion, that Chiroth denotes the valley which extends from the wilderness of Etham to the Red Sea. "This valley," he observes, "ends at the sea in a small bay made by the eastern extremities of the mountains (of Gewoubee and Attackah, between which the valley lies) which I have been describing, and is called Tiah-Beni-Israel, i.e., the road of the Israelites, by a tradition that is still kept up by the Arabs, of their having passed through it; so it is also called Baideah, from the new and unheard of miracle that was wrought near it, by dividing the Red sea, and destroying therein Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
Migdol.The word {Migdol} signifies a tower, and hence some have supposed that it was a fortress which served to defend the bay. But the LXX. render it [Magdólos,] Magdolus, which is mentioned by Herodotus, Hecatæus, and others, and is expressly said by Stephanus (de Urb.) to be [polis Aigyptou,] "a city of Egypt." This Bochart conjectures to have been the same as Migdol. See the Parallel Passages.
Jer 44:1; 46:14; Eze 29:10
Heb. Baal-zephon.This may have been the name of a town or city in which Baal was worshipped; and probably called {zephon,} from being situated on the north point of the Red sea, near the present Suez.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Exodus 14:1
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
- Exodus 14:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi–hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal–zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
- Exodus 14:3
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Exodus 14:2 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Habla á los hijos de Israel que den la vuelta, y asienten su campo delante de Pihahiroth, entre Migdol y la mar hacia Baalzephón: delante de él asentaréis el campo, junto á la mar. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Dis aux fils d’Israël qu’ils se détournent, et qu’ils campent devant Pi-Hahiroth, entre Migdol et la mer; devant Baal-Tsephon, vis-à-vis, vous camperez près de la mer. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Sprich zu den Kindern Israel, daß sie umkehren und sich lagern vor Pi-Hachiroth, zwischen Migdol und dem Meere; vor Baal-Zephon, ihm gegenüber, sollt ihr euch am Meere lagern. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Loquere filiis Israël: Reversi castrametentur e regione Phihahiroth, quæ est inter Magdalum et mare contra Beelsephon: in conspectu ejus castra ponetis super mare. |