H1189 H1189
Baal-zephon, an Egyptian place name meaning 'Baal of the north'; near the Red Sea crossing site
An Egyptian location name meaning 'Baal of the north' (Zephon being a divine title), marking the Israelite encampment before crossing the Red Sea. Israel camped 'before Baal-zephon' by the sea (Exodus 14:2, 9; Numbers 33:7), a site in northeastern Egypt. The name indicates a shrine to Baal-Zephon, a Canaanite storm deity worshiped in Egypt. Proposed identification: Mount Ataka or a site near the Bitter Lakes. The encampment at this pagan shrine sets the stage for Yahweh's triumph over Pharaoh and, symbolically, over Egypt's gods.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A site in Egypt near the Red Sea, where Israel encamped before the exodus crossing. Moses instructs the people to 'camp before Baal-zephon' by the sea (Exodus 14:2), Pharaoh's army finds them there (Exodus 14:9), and Numbers confirms the location (Numbers 33:7). The name 'Baal of the North' reflects an Egyptian cult site dedicated to a Canaanite deity, ironically becoming the backdrop for Yahweh's deliverance. 3×
AR["بَعْلَ-صَفُونَ", "بَعْلِ-صَفُون"]·ben["বাল-সফোনের", "বাল-সফোনের।"]·DE["Baal-zephon"]·EN["Baal-zephon"]·FR["Baal-zephon"]·heb["בעל צפון", "בעלצפון"]·HI["बाल-सपोन", "बाल-सफ़ोन-के"]·ID["Baal-Zefon"]·IT["Baal-zephon"]·jav["Baal-Sefon", "Baal-Tsefon"]·KO["바알-스본", "바알-스봄"]·PT["Ba'al-Tsefon", "Ba'al-Tsefon,", "Ba'al-Tsefon."]·RU["Баал-Цефона", "Ваал-Цефоном"]·ES["Baal-Tsefon"]·SW["Baali-Sefoni"]·TR["Baal-Sefon", "Baal-Tsefon"]·urd["بعل-صفون-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בַּ֫עַל צְפוֹן n.pr.loc. Ex 14:2, 9 Nu 33:7, near Red Sea in Egypt, prob. Mt. ʿAtâka, EbGS 524.