Pithom: Egyptian, Pa-Tum, "house of Tum," the sun-god, one of the "treasure"
cities built for Pharaoh Rameses II. by the Israelites
(Exodus 1:11) It
was probably the Patumos of the Greek historian Herodotus. It has now
been satisfactorily identified with Tell-el-Maskhuta, about 12 miles
west of Ismailia, and 20 east of Tel-el-Kebir, on the southern bank of
the present Suez Canal. Here have recently (1883) been discovered the
ruins of supposed grain-chambers, and other evidences to show that
this was a great "store city." Its immense ruin-heaps show that it was
built of bricks, and partly also of bricks without straw. Succoth
(Exodus 12:37) is supposed by some to be the secular name of this city,
Pithom being its sacred name. This was the first halting-place of the
Israelites in their exodus. It has been argued (Dr. Lansing) that
these "store" cities "were residence cities, royal dwellings, such as
the Pharaohs of old, the Kings of Israel, and our modern Khedives have
ever loved to build, thus giving employment to the superabundant
muscle of their enslaved peoples, and making a name for themselves."
