pihahiroth Summary and Overview

PIHAHI'ROTH (mouth, or entrance of caverns, or place of reservoirs), the last place where the Israelites encamped before crossing the Red Sea. Ex 14:2, Gal 1:9; Num 33:7-8. Robinson identifies it with Ajrud, 12 miles from Suez, now a watering-place for caravans, and is approved by Lepsius. In a curious papyrus deciphered by Chabas it is said that Pehir (which seems to be the same as Pihahiroth) was the place from which King Rameses was supplied with garlands of beautiful flowers. Stanley says that there is now no appearance of verdure there.

Israel encamped "before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea" (Exodus 14:2). Chabas translated a papyrus (Anast. 3:1, section 2), in which the scribe Penbesa describes Rameses' visit; garlands were sent from Pehir on a river. Pihahiroth is partly Egyptian, partly Semitic. "the house (Pi) of wells, the watering place in the desert." Israel, after marching from Rameses eastward to Succoth along the old canal, and thence to Etham, were ordered by God to change their direction and go southward to Pihahiroth at, the W. of the Bitter Lakes, dose to Migdol, on its N.W. side, Migdol being on the N.W. of Baal Zephon, all three W. of the Red Sea, and opposite Ayun Musa. Now Ajrud, a fortress with a large well of good water, at the foot of an elevation that commands the plain stretching to Suez four leagues off (Numbers 33:7-8).