EGYPT AND BABYL ON.
158
Jebel Atakah. Baal-Zephon is not necessarily a Phoenician " name, for the Egyptians had adopted "Baal as a god long before the time of Menephthah, and Zephon (Zapouna or
Typhon) was altogether Egyptian. There is no proof beyond the notices in Exodus that he had a temple, or a town named after him, in this quarter but neither is there any proof of his having had one in any part of Egypt. It has been argued that the position on Jebel Ataka would be one exactly adapted to such a god as Baal-Zephon f but we scarcely know enough of the Egyptian religion to be sure of ;
;
We
can only say that here, on the western coast of the Gulf of Suez, would be ample room for the encampment of the entire Israelitish host ; that in this position it might " well seem that " the wilderness had shut them in (ch. xiv. " " before a Migdol 3) ; and that the host would be (Numb, " xxxiii. 7), and perhaps " beside a Pi-hahiroth (Exod. xiv. The sea in front was but two or three miles across, and 9). might easily have been passed in a night ; the bottom was such as would naturally clog the Egyptian chariot wheels (ver. 25), and the further shore was destitute of springs, a " true " wilderness (ch. xv. 22), where the Israelites may well have gone " three days without water."
this.
t
Trumbull,
"
Kadesh-Barnea,"
p. 421.