The Search for Migdol of the New Kingdom and Exodus 14:2: An Update

Abstract

The place name Migdol occurs as an Egyptian eastern border site in the books of the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and it is found again in the exodus itinerary. This study will review recent archaeological data from north Sinai that bear on the identification of this topponym. As it turns out, over the 1500 years for which the name of the site is attested in Christian, Roman, Greek, Assyrian, Hebrew and Egyptian sources, the location moved more than once, making locating the various “Migdols” an ongoing challenge. However, recent finds have allowed us to narrow the window for the location of Migdol of the 2nd millennium B.C.