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Place

Baal Zephon

Exodus encampment site

Landmark near the sea where the Israelites camped before the Exodus crossing, positioned so that Pharaoh would think them trapped.

3 appearances2 Bible books2 known aliases

Who or what is this?

A place near the sea cited in the Exodus account as a reference point for Israel's encampment before the great crossing. Numbers 33:7 and Exodus 14:2 both state that the were to camp "before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon." The divine instruction to encamp there was deliberate — to make think Israel was trapped — so that God could harden Pharaoh's heart and win glory through the destruction of his forces. The name combines the deity Baal with "north" or "Zaphon," suggesting a cultic site dedicated to this form of Baal.

People, places, and events in this story

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Where this appears in Scripture

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Key passages

All appearances3