Migdol, a place near the Red Sea where the Israelites camped during the Exodus (Exodus 14:2; Numbers 33:7), and a city in Egypt mentioned in prophecies (Jeremiah 44:1; 46:14; Ezk.29.10; 30:6).
Also known as tower
Migdol is mentioned in the Bible as a place near the Red Sea where the Israelites camped during their Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 14:2; Numbers 33:7). The name Migdol is derived from the Hebrew word "migdal," meaning "tower" or "fortress." It is believed to be a reference to a fortified border city in ancient Egypt.
In the prophetic books, Migdol is mentioned as one of the cities in Egypt where Jewish refugees settled after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 44:1). The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel also include Migdol in their prophecies against Egypt, indicating that it was a significant city (Jeremiah 46:14; Ezk.29.10; 30:6).
The exact location of the biblical Migdol is uncertain, but it is thought to be in the eastern Nile Delta region, possibly near the present-day Suez Canal. Some scholars have proposed that it might be identified with the ancient Egyptian city of "Tjeku" or "Tjel," known in Greek as "Sile," which served as a frontier fortress on the eastern border of Egypt.
Approximate location: 30.020, 32.372 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Tower. (1.) A strongly-fortified place 12 miles from Pelusium, in the north of Egypt (Jer. 44:1; 46:14). This word is rendered “tower” in Ezek. 29:10, but the margin correctly retains the name Migdol, “from Migdol to Syene;” i.e., from Migdol in the north to Syene in the south, in other words, the whole of Egypt. (2.) A place mentioned in the passage of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:2; Num. 33:7, 8). It is probably to be identified with Bir Suweis, about 2 miles from Suez.
(tower), the name of one of two places on the eastern frontier of Egypt.
MIG'DOL (tower), the name of two places in Egypt. A place near the head of the Red Sea, Ex 14:2; Num 33:7-8; probably identical with Bir Makhdal, 10 miles west of Suez. A city and fortified place situated in the northern limits of Egypt toward Palestine. Jer 44:1; Eze 48:14. This name is rendered "tower" in the phrase "from the tower of Syene," Eze 29:10; Ex 30:6; but the margin correctly has "from Migdol to Syene" - i.e., Syene the most southern border of Egypt, and Migdol the most northern. The phrase is used to signify the whole of Egypt. In Egyptian the name is written Meshtol, "many hills," and in the Septuagint Magdolum.
MIG'DOL (tower), the name of two places in Egypt. A place near the head of the Red Sea, Ex 14:2; Num 33:7-8; probably identical with Bir Makhdal, 10 miles west of Suez. A city and fortified place situated in the northern limits of Egypt toward Palestine. Jer 44:1; Eze 48:14. This name is rendered "tower" in the phrase "from the tower of Syene," Eze 29:10; Ex 30:6; but the margin correctly has "from Migdol to Syene" - i.e., Syene the most southern border of Egypt, and Migdol the most northern. The phrase is used to signify the whole of Egypt. In Egyptian the name is written Meshtol, "many hills," and in the Septuagint Magdolum.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
6 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H4024
“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.
They set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and they camped near Migdol.
This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in the land of Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis—and in the land of Pathros:
“Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it in Memphis and Tahpanhes: ‘Take your positions and prepare yourself, for the sword devours those around you.’
therefore I am against you and against your rivers. I will turn the land of Egypt into a ruin, a desolate wasteland from Migdol to Syene, and as far as the border of Cush.
For this is what the LORD says: The allies of Egypt will fall, and her proud strength will collapse. From Migdol to Syene they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Lord GOD.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.