Location
Overview
Baal-zephon was a landmark, most likely a shrine to the Canaanite-Phoenician sea deity of that name, used to fix the location of Israel's encampment before the Red Sea.
The marker by the sea
Twice it pinpoints the camp: Israel was to encamp "before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon" (Exodus 14:2), and Pharaoh overtook them "beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon" (Exodus 14:9).
A god overruled
If Baal-zephon was indeed a shrine of the "lord of the north," a deity thought to rule storm and sea, then the LORD's mastery of the waters at this very spot was a pointed declaration that the God of Israel — not Baal — commands the deep.
An itinerary witness
It appears again in the record of the journeys (Numbers 33:7), anchoring the memory of where the great crossing began.
Events Here
Israel camps over against Baal-zephon before the crossing
Scripture References
3 versesExodus2 verses
Exodus 14:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
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 Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
Numbers1 verse
Numbers 33:7
And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol.
Archaeology & History
Baal-zephon ("lord of the north") was the name of a Canaanite/Phoenician sea-and-storm god, and shrines to him are known along the eastern Mediterranean and into Egypt. The biblical site cannot be precisely located, but the name suggests a coastal cult-place serving as a navigational marker.
Frequently asked about Baal-zephon
Where is Baal-zephon today?
Today, Baal-zephon corresponds to Near the Red Sea crossing (uncertain).
What does the name Baal-zephon mean?
The name Baal-zephon means “Lord of the north (a Canaanite deity)”.
What happened at Baal-zephon in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Baal-zephon include israel camps over against baal-zephon before the crossing.
Where is Baal-zephon first mentioned in the Bible?
Baal-zephon is first mentioned in Exodus 14:2.
How often is Baal-zephon mentioned in the Bible?
Baal-zephon is mentioned in 3 verses across 2 books: Exodus, Numbers.
What was Baal-zephon?
A landmark — probably a shrine of the Canaanite sea-god Baal-zephon ("lord of the north") — used to mark the position of Israel’s camp before the Red Sea crossing.
Why does the Bible mention Baal-zephon?
It locates the encampment "over against Baal-zephon." Some see significance in God parting the sea right by a shrine to a sea-god, showing the LORD’s supremacy over it.