Migdol

Migdol, or migdal, is a Hebrew word (מגדּלה מגדּל, מגדּל מגדּול) which means either a tower (from its size or height), an elevated stage (a rostrum or pulpit), or a raised bed (within a river). Physically, it can mean fortified land, i.e. a walled city or castle; or elevated land, as in a raised bed, like a platform, possibly a lookout.

mktr[1]
in hieroglyphs

mꜥgꜣdjr[2]
in hieroglyphs

Migdol is a known loanword from Egyptian (mktr), mekter,[1] or mgatir[2] meaning "fort", "fortification", or "stronghold". Figuratively, "tower" has connotations of proud authority.

In archaeology, migdol is a specific type of temple, examples of which have been discovered for instance at Hazor, Megiddo, Tel Haror, Pella and Shechem.

Places named Migdol or Migdal in the Hebrew Bible

The Book of Exodus records that the children of Israel encamped at Pi-Hahiroth between Migdol and the Red Sea, before their crossing.

Joshua referred to Migdal-Gad, ‘tower of Gad’, one of the fortified cities of Judah, and also to Migdal-El, ‘tower of God’, one of the fortified towns of Naphtali (Joshua 19.38) and the city of origin of Mary Magdelene (Magdala) (Matthew 27:56; Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2 and John 20:18).

Jeremiah referred to Migdol (Jeremiah 44:1) in its near-geographical relation to Tahpanhes and Memphis, three Egyptian cities where the Jewish people settled after the Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC).

Ezekiel referred to Migdol in describing the length of the land of Egypt "from Migdol to Syene (Aswan)". (Ezekiel 29:10, Ezekiel 30:6).

The letters of Šuta refer to a "Magdalu in Egypt" which Albright identified with Jeremiah's Migdol. [3]

Places in modern Israel named Migdal

Migdal Ha'emek is a large hill surrounded by the Kishon river, west of Nazareth.

References

M. Vygus. Middle Egyptian dictionary, p. 627
E. A. Wallis Budge (1920). An Egyptian hieroglyphic dictionary: with an index of English words, king list and geological list with indexes, list of hieroglyphic characters, coptic and semitic alphabets, etc. Vol I. John Murray. p. 290.
The future of biblical archaeology: reassessing methodologies and ... - Page 105 James Karl Hoffmeier, Alan Ralph Millard - 2004 "What is important for us is the identification of the Migdol referred to here and the meaning of the phrase "Akka is like Magdalu in Egypt." Albright, who was certain that the Migdol here is the Migdol of the Bible, translates that ..."

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[Vygus-1] M. Vygus. Middle Egyptian dictionary, p. 627

[Budge-2] E. A. Wallis Budge (1920). An Egyptian hieroglyphic dictionary: with an index of English words, king list and geological list with indexes, list of hieroglyphic characters, coptic and semitic alphabets, etc. Vol I. John Murray. p. 290.

[3] The future of biblical archaeology: reassessing methodologies and ... - Page 105 James Karl Hoffmeier, Alan Ralph Millard - 2004 "What is important for us is the identification of the Migdol referred to here and the meaning of the phrase "Akka is like Magdalu in Egypt." Albright, who was certain that the Migdol here is the Migdol of the Bible, translates that ..."