Numbers 33:7

KJV

And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which [is] before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol.

KJV (with Strong's)

And they removed {H5265} from Etham {H864}, and turned again {H7725} unto Pihahiroth {H6367}, which is before Baalzephon {H1189}: and they pitched {H2583} before {H6440} Migdol {H4024}.

Complete Jewish Bible

They moved on from Etam and turned back to Pi-Hachirot, in front of Ba'al-Tz'fon, and camped before Migdol.

Berean Standard Bible

They set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and they camped near Migdol.

American Standard Version

And they journeyed from Etham, and turned back unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 33:7 meticulously records a specific, divinely orchestrated movement of the Israelite encampment during their exodus from Etham to Pihahiroth, a strategic location before Baalzephon and Migdol. This seemingly counter-intuitive turn, leading them into what appeared to be a geographical trap, was a deliberate act of God designed to lure Pharaoh into a final, decisive confrontation, thereby setting the stage for the miraculous Red Sea crossing and a profound display of divine power and sovereignty over both nature and the mightiest empire of the ancient world.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 33 serves as a comprehensive itinerary of Israel's forty-two encampments from their departure from Egypt to their arrival on the plains of Moab. This chapter provides a historical record, emphasizing God's meticulous guidance throughout their wilderness journey. Verse 7 specifically details the encampment that immediately precedes the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, a pivotal moment in the exodus narrative. The command for this specific movement is first given in [Exodus 14:2-4](/exodus/14-2 "Exodus 14:2-4 - God's Command to Camp Before Pihahiroth"), where the Lord explicitly states His intention to harden Pharaoh's heart and gain glory through his defeat, making Numbers 33:7 a fulfillment of that earlier divine directive.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The locations mentioned—Etham, Pihahiroth, Baalzephon, and Migdol—were situated on or near the eastern frontier of Egypt, a heavily fortified border zone. Etham marked the "edge of the wilderness," likely the last easily traversable point before the more challenging terrain of the Sinai desert. Pihahiroth, possibly meaning "mouth of the gorges" or "place of canals," suggests a narrow, constrained area, making the Israelites appear hemmed in by the Red Sea to their east and the wilderness to their west. Baalzephon, meaning "Lord of the North" or "Baal of the Watchtower," was likely an Egyptian border outpost or a pagan shrine dedicated to a local deity, while Migdol was a common Egyptian term for a "fortress" or "watchtower." The Israelites pitching "before Migdol" placed them directly in front of an Egyptian military stronghold, creating the illusion of a trapped and vulnerable target for Pharaoh's pursuing army.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully underscores several major theological themes prevalent in the Pentateuch. First, it highlights **Divine Sovereignty and Guidance**, demonstrating God's absolute control over every step of Israel's journey, even when His instructions seem illogical or dangerous from a human perspective. This is a continuation of the theme seen in [Exodus 13:21](/exodus/13-21 "Exodus 13:21 - God Leads Israel by Cloud and Fire"), where God Himself led the people by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Second, it emphasizes **Testing and Trust**, as the seemingly impossible situation at Pihahiroth was designed to test Israel's faith and force them to rely entirely on God for deliverance when all human escape routes were cut off. Finally, it sets the stage for **God's Triumph Over Adversity**, showcasing His power to deliver His people and defeat their enemies in the most dramatic fashion, thereby demonstrating His supremacy over all earthly powers and false gods.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Pihahiroth (Hebrew, _Pî haḥîrōṯ'_):** This name is typically interpreted as "mouth of the gorges" or "place of canals/reeds." The specific meaning points to a geographical bottleneck or a narrow passage, likely bordered by water (the Red Sea) and possibly mountainous terrain or marshy areas. This description perfectly aligns with the strategic trap God intended for Pharaoh, making Israel appear cornered and without escape. It emphasizes the physical constraints that contributed to the illusion of vulnerability.
* **Baalzephon (Hebrew, _Ba‘al Ṣəp̄ôn'_):** Meaning "Lord of the North" or "Baal of the Watchtower," this was likely an Egyptian border post or a shrine dedicated to a local Canaanite-Egyptian deity. Its presence signifies a fortified or religiously significant landmark on the frontier. The fact that Israel encamped "before" it suggests they were positioned in a visible and strategically important location, further cementing the perception of their being trapped between Egyptian strongholds and the sea.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And they removed from Etham":** This phrase indicates the continuation of the journey from a previous encampment. Etham marked the edge of the wilderness, suggesting they had left the more settled areas and were now fully committed to the desert trek. Their departure from Etham was a direct step further into the wilderness, yet the next command would be a turn.
* **"and turned again unto Pihahiroth":** This is the crucial, counter-intuitive command. Instead of continuing eastward or southward into the wilderness, they were instructed to "turn back" or "turn around" towards Pihahiroth. This movement was not a mistake but a deliberate, divinely guided detour, designed to place them in a seemingly indefensible position. It highlights God's sovereign leading, even when His path defies human logic.
* **"which [is] before Baalzephon":** This clause provides a specific geographical marker, locating Pihahiroth in relation to a known landmark. Baalzephon, as a likely border outpost or pagan shrine, further defines the strategic nature of the area. Positioning themselves "before" it meant they were in plain sight and seemingly vulnerable to any forces approaching from Egyptian territory.
* **"and they pitched before Migdol":** Migdol, an Egyptian term for a "fortress" or "watchtower," reinforces the military aspect of the location. By pitching their camp "before" Migdol, the Israelites were effectively positioned between Egyptian fortifications and the Red Sea, creating the perfect scenario for Pharaoh to believe they were "entangled in the land" and "the wilderness has shut them in" ([Exodus 14:3](/exodus/14-3 "Exodus 14:3 - Pharaoh's Miscalculation")). This precise positioning was key to God's plan to draw Pharaoh into the trap.

#### Literary Devices
Numbers 33:7, in conjunction with its fuller context, employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is **Irony**, as God deliberately leads His people into a situation that appears to be a trap, yet it is precisely this "trap" that becomes the setting for His greatest display of deliverance. What seems like a strategic blunder from a human perspective is, in fact, a divinely orchestrated setup for triumph. This passage also utilizes **Foreshadowing**, as the seemingly impossible situation at Pihahiroth directly precedes the miraculous Red Sea crossing, hinting at the extraordinary intervention God is about to perform. The detailed geographical names function as **Realism** and **Verisimilitude**, grounding the miraculous events in concrete, identifiable locations, thereby lending credibility to the historical account. Furthermore, the entire scenario serves as a powerful **Symbolism** of God's ability to turn apparent defeat into glorious victory, and His power to use seemingly insurmountable obstacles to reveal His glory.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 33:7 is a profound testament to God's meticulous and sovereign guidance, even when His path seems illogical or dangerous from a human perspective. It underscores the truth that God's ways are higher than our ways, and His plans often involve leading His people through trials to deepen their faith and display His power. This specific encampment was not a random stop but a divinely appointed position designed to lure Pharaoh into a final, decisive confrontation, ensuring that God alone would receive the glory for Israel's deliverance. It teaches us that God uses challenging circumstances, even those that appear to corner us, to demonstrate His faithfulness and omnipotence, ultimately working all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

* [Deuteronomy 8:2](/deuteronomy/8-2 "Deuteronomy 8:2 - God's Testing in the Wilderness")
* [Psalm 77:19](/psalm/77-19 "Psalm 77:19 - God's Path Through the Sea")
* [Isaiah 43:16](/isaiah/43-16 "Isaiah 43:16 - God Making a Way Through the Sea")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 33:7 offers a powerful lesson in trusting God's sovereign leading, even when the path He directs us on seems counter-intuitive, dangerous, or illogical. Like the Israelites, we often desire clear, safe, and predictable routes, yet God, in His infinite wisdom, sometimes leads us into "cornered" situations where all human escape routes appear to be cut off. These moments are not signs of His abandonment or error, but often divinely orchestrated opportunities for Him to display His power, deepen our reliance on Him, and achieve His greater purposes. This verse encourages us to surrender our limited understanding and anxieties to His perfect plan, knowing that He is always working, even in the most perplexing circumstances, to bring about our ultimate good and His glory. Our faith is truly tested and refined when we choose to follow His guidance into the unknown, confident that He will make a way where there seems to be no way.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When have you felt "cornered" or trapped in a situation, and how did you respond?**
* **How does Numbers 33:7 challenge your understanding of God's guidance in difficult circumstances?**
* **What specific areas of your life do you need to surrender to God's sovereign leading, even if His path seems unclear or risky?**

### FAQ
**Why did God lead the Israelites into such a seemingly dangerous and trapped position?**

Answer: God deliberately led the Israelites to Pihahiroth, a location that appeared to trap them between the wilderness, the Red Sea, and Egyptian fortifications, for a very specific divine purpose. As detailed in [Exodus 14:3-4](/exodus/14-3 "Exodus 14:3-4 - God's Plan to Harden Pharaoh's Heart"), God intended this strategic positioning to lure Pharaoh into believing the Israelites were "entangled in the land" and "shut in by the wilderness." This false sense of security would prompt Pharaoh to pursue them, setting the stage for God to display His overwhelming power through the Red Sea miracle, utterly defeating Pharaoh and his army, and thereby gaining glory for Himself. It was a masterstroke of divine strategy, turning an apparent vulnerability into the prelude to a monumental victory.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 33:7, detailing God's deliberate leading of Israel into a seemingly inescapable trap before the Red Sea, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate divine strategy of salvation found in Jesus Christ. Just as God led Israel into a position of apparent vulnerability to achieve a glorious victory over Pharaoh, so too did God allow His Son, Jesus, to be led to the cross, a position of ultimate vulnerability and apparent defeat, to achieve the ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil. The Red Sea crossing, where God made a way through an impossible barrier, is a type of baptism ([1 Corinthians 10:1-2](/1_corinthians/10-1 "1 Corinthians 10:1-2 - Israel's Baptism in the Cloud and Sea")), symbolizing the new life and deliverance found in Christ. Through His death and resurrection, Christ, the true Lamb of God, entered into the "trap" of human sin and mortality, not to be defeated, but to conquer and lead His people to true freedom. His triumph at Calvary, like Israel's at the Red Sea, demonstrates that God's greatest victories are often achieved through what appears to be weakness or defeat, ultimately leading to the glorious deliverance of His people and the utter vanquishing of their spiritual enemies ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Principalities")). The path to new life in Christ often involves passing through a "sea" of trials, but with Him, we are more than conquerors ([Romans 8:37](/romans/8-37 "Romans 8:37 - More Than Conquerors Through Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.