MIGDOL mĭg’ dŏl (מִגְדֹּ֖ל, fort, watchtower). A place name in the NE part of the Egyp. Delta.

1. Sixth cent. B.C.Twice in Jeremiah (44:1; 46:14), Migdol heads a short list of places in Egypt where Jews sought refuge. In Ezekiel 29:10 and 30:6 (see RSV), Migdol is the northern (strictly, northeastern) extremity of Egypt, while Aswan marks its southern limit, true to conditions in the twenty-sixth dynasty. This Migdol is the Magdolo of the Antonine Itinerary, being generally identified with Tell el Ḥêr, some twelve and a half m. NE of Qantara on the ancient road from Egypt to Pal. In Egyp. sources, it is most prob. the Migdol of Sethos I (Karnak war scenes) and of other sources; see Gardiner, JEA; VI (1920), 107-110.

2. On route of the Exodus. After turning back from the wilderness, the Hebrews encamped between Migdol and the Sea of Reeds (Exod 14:2; etc.), and then crossed the latter from W to E into the wilderness again. This seems to require a Migdol differently sited from Tell el Ḥêr (which is E of all likely candidates for the “Sea of Reeds”), esp. as Lake Serbonis further NE lies along the “way of the land of the Philistines” and so may be excluded. It is, therefore, probable that Migdol in Exodus 14:2 is simply another fort—migdal is a common word—SE of Daphnai and W of the Sea of Reeds (Lake Ballaḥ region?). If so, it has not yet been identified in Egyp. sources, but could turn up in new documents. (See also Exodus.)