Where is Magdolum in the Bible?

Magdolum is an ancient city located in the Sinai region of Egypt, near the northeastern border. It is referenced in the book of Jeremiah as part of a prophecy against Egypt (Jeremiah 44:1). Today, its archaeological site is known as Tell el-Herr.

What happened at Magdolum in the Bible?

The Bible does not record a specific event at Magdolum. It is mentioned only as a location where Jewish refugees lived in Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem. Jeremiah delivered a prophecy to these communities, warning them against idolatry (Jeremiah 44:1).

Why is Magdolum significant in biblical history?

Magdolum is significant as a named location where a community of Judean exiles settled, illustrating the dispersion of God's people. Its mention provides historical and geographical context for Jeremiah's prophecies to the Jews in Egypt, highlighting their continued struggle with faithfulness.

Magdolum

cityBoth TestamentsSinai0 verses

Today Tell el HerrCountry EgyptCoordinates 30.965, 32.493

Magdolum is an ancient city mentioned in the Bible, located in the region of Sinai in modern-day Egypt. Known today as Tell el Herr.

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Biblical History

Magdolum, also known as Migdol in Hebrew (meaning "tower" or "fortress"), appears in several Old Testament passages as a fortified site in the northeastern Nile Delta region of Egypt. In Exodus 14:2, God instructed the Israelites to camp near Migdol before crossing the Red Sea, making it a landmark in the exodus narrative. The prophet Jeremiah mentions Migdol as a place where Jewish refugees fled after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC (Jeremiah 44:1; 46:14), and Ezekiel uses it as a geographic marker for the extent of Egypt, declaring judgment "from Migdol to Syene" (Ezekiel 29:10; 30:6). The site thus bookends two pivotal moments in Israel's relationship with Egypt: the miraculous deliverance from bondage and the tragic return to Egyptian exile centuries later. Magdolum served as a border fortress guarding Egypt's northeastern frontier, the very gateway through which Israel had passed to freedom. Its recurrence across centuries of biblical narrative illustrates the cyclical patterns of Israel's history with its powerful southern neighbor.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

Magdolum has been identified with Tell el-Herr (also written Tell el-Heir), located in the northeastern Sinai near the ancient Pelusiac branch of the Nile. French archaeological excavations conducted since the 1980s have uncovered a significant fortress complex at the site, with occupation layers spanning from the Late Period through the Persian and Hellenistic eras. The excavations revealed a large mud-brick fortress with multiple phases of construction, consistent with the site's role as an Egyptian border garrison. Persian-period remains are particularly well preserved, including administrative buildings and storage facilities. Some scholars alternatively identify biblical Migdol with Tell el-Borg, another nearby fortress site. The region today lies in the flat, arid landscape of northern Sinai.

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References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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