Location
Overview
Pi-hahiroth was the last encampment of Israel before the Red Sea crossing — the place where, humanly speaking, they were trapped.
Encamped by the sea
God directed Israel to "turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon" (Exodus 14:2). It was a deliberate position, designed to draw Pharaoh into pursuit.
Hemmed in
With the sea before them and Pharaoh's chariots closing in, the people cried out in terror (Exodus 14:9–10). Moses answered, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13).
The threshold of deliverance
From Pi-hahiroth Israel "passed through the midst of the sea" (Numbers 33:8), so the place of their apparent trap became the doorway of their rescue.
Events Here
Israel encamps by the sea at Pi-hahiroth, hemmed in by Pharaoh
Scripture References
4 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.
Numbers2 verses
Numbers 33:7
And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol.
Numbers 33:8
And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.
Archaeology & History
Pi-hahiroth, like the other crossing-stations, cannot be located with certainty. It lay somewhere along the line of lakes and marshes between the eastern delta and the Gulf of Suez; proposals depend on which reconstruction of the Red Sea crossing one follows.
Frequently asked about Pi-hahiroth
Where is Pi-hahiroth today?
Today, Pi-hahiroth corresponds to Near the Bitter Lakes / Gulf of Suez (uncertain).
What happened at Pi-hahiroth in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Pi-hahiroth include israel encamps by the sea at pi-hahiroth, hemmed in by pharaoh.
Where is Pi-hahiroth first mentioned in the Bible?
Pi-hahiroth is first mentioned in Exodus 14:2.
How often is Pi-hahiroth mentioned in the Bible?
Pi-hahiroth is mentioned in 4 verses across 2 books: Exodus, Numbers.
What happened at Pi-hahiroth?
It was Israel’s final camp before the Red Sea, where they were hemmed in between the sea and Pharaoh’s army — the setting for Moses’ call to "stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD."
Where was Pi-hahiroth?
By the sea, "between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon." Its exact location is debated, somewhere between the eastern delta and the Gulf of Suez.