Topical Encyclopedia
The Midianites were a nomadic people descended from Midian, one of the sons of Abraham through his wife Keturah, as recorded in
Genesis 25:1-2: "Now Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah, and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah." The Midianites are frequently mentioned throughout the Old Testament, often in contexts of conflict and interaction with the Israelites.
Geographical Location and LifestyleThe Midianites inhabited the region east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, extending into the Arabian Peninsula. They were primarily a nomadic people, known for their trade and commerce, as well as their skills in metalworking. The Midianites' lifestyle was typical of desert-dwelling tribes, relying on herding and trading for sustenance.
Biblical Interactions with IsraelThe Midianites are first notably mentioned in the context of Joseph's account. In
Genesis 37:28, it is recorded that "when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt." This indicates the Midianites' involvement in regional trade networks.
During the Exodus, Moses fled to the land of Midian after killing an Egyptian, where he encountered Jethro (also known as Reuel), a priest of Midian, and married his daughter Zipporah (
Exodus 2:15-21). Jethro later provided Moses with wise counsel on governance (
Exodus 18:17-24).
The Midianites are perhaps most infamously known for their role in leading Israel into sin at Peor, as recounted in
Numbers 25. The Israelite men were seduced by Midianite women, leading to idolatry and immorality. In response, God commanded Moses to "treat the Midianites as enemies and strike them down" (
Numbers 25:17).
Gideon's VictoryOne of the most significant encounters between Israel and the Midianites occurred during the time of the Judges. The Midianites, along with the Amalekites, oppressed Israel, leading to the rise of Gideon as a judge.
Judges 6:1-6 describes how the Midianites "impoverished the Israelites" by destroying their crops and livestock. God called Gideon to deliver Israel, and with a small army of 300 men, Gideon defeated the Midianites through divine intervention (
Judges 7:7, 22).
Later References and LegacyThe Midianites are mentioned in later biblical texts, often in the context of their defeat and as a symbol of God's deliverance of Israel from its enemies.
Isaiah 9:4 references the "day of Midian" as a metaphor for liberation from oppression.
The Midianites' interactions with Israel highlight themes of faithfulness, idolatry, and divine deliverance. Their account serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the power of faith in overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.
ATS Bible Dictionary
MidianitesDescendants of Midian, a nomade race in Arabia, numerous, and rich in flocks, herds, and camels,Isaiah 60:6. The original and appropriate district of the Midianites seems to have been on the east side of the Elantic branch of the Red Sea, where the Arabian geographers place the city Midian,Acts 7:29. But they appear to have spread themselves northward, probably along the desert east of Mount Seir, to the vicinity of the Moabites; and on the other side, also, they covered a territory extending to the neighborhood of Mount Sinai. SeeExodus 3:1 18:1 Nu 22:25,31 Jud 6:1-8:35. InGenesis 25:2,4, compared withGenesis 25:12-18, they are distinguished from the descendants of Ishmael, though elsewhere we find the two people intimately associated, so that they are called now by one name and now by the other. SeeGenesis 37:25, compared withGenesis 37:36. Their capital city was called Midian, and its remains were to be seen in the time of Jerome and Eusebius. It was situated on the Arnon, south of the city Ar, or Areopolis.
The Midianites were idolaters, and often led Israel astray to worship their gods. They also not infrequently rendered the Hebrews tributary, and oppressed them. SeeNumbers 22:1-41 25:1-18 31:1-54. Often when the Israelites had sown, and their harvest was nearly ready to be gathered in, the Midianites and Amalekites, children of the eastern desert, came down like locusts in countless swarms, with their cattle and tents and camels, to devour and carry off the fruits of the ground, and not only rob but destroy their owners. And often did the Jews, lacking the strength or the faith or the leadership necessary for effectual resistance, seek refuge in mountain-dens and caverns till the invaders retired. Gideon was their deliverer in one such period of oppression, Jud 6:7. The modern Ishmaelites still follow the ancient practice, and their violent incursions, robberies, and murders might be described in the same terms that were used with reference to their fathers by the historians of old.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MIDIAN; MIDIANITESmid'-i-an, mid'-i-an-its (midhyan, midhyanim; Madiam, Madienaioi):
1. The See d of Abraham to the Time of the Judges:
Midian was a son of Abraham by his concubine Keturah. To him were born 5 sons, Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah (Genesis 25:2, 41 Chronicles 1:32 f). Bearing gifts from Abraham, he and his brothers, each with his own household, moved off from Isaac into "the east country" (Genesis 25:6). The first recorded incident in the history of the tribe is a defeat suffered "in the field of Moab" at the hands of Hadad, king of Edom. Of this nothing beyond the fact is known (Genesis 36:351 Chronicles 1:46). The Midianites next appear as merchantmen traveling from Gilead to Egypt, with "spicery and balm and myrrh," with no prejudice against a turn of slave-dealing (Genesis 37:25). Moses, on fleeing from Egypt, found refuge in the land of Midian, and became son-in-law of Jethro, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:15, 21). In Midian Moses received his commission to Israel in Egypt (Exodus 4:19). A Midianite, familiar with the desert, acted as guide ("instead of eyes") to the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings (Numbers 10:29). The friendly relations between Israel and Midian, which seem to have prevailed at first, had been ruptured, and we find the elders of Midian acting with those of Moab in calling Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22:4-7). Because of the grievous sin into which they had seduced Israel on the shrewd advice of Balaam, a war of vengeance was made against the Midianites in which five of their chiefs perished; the males were ruthlessly slain, and Balaam also was put to death (Numbers 25:15, 17;Numbers 31:2). We next hear of Midian as oppressing Israel for 7 years. Along with the Amalekites and the children of the East they swarmed across the Jordan, and their multitudinous beasts swept up the produce of the earth. Overwhelming disaster befell this horde at the onset of Gideon's chosen men. In the battle and pursuit "there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword"; their kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, and their princes, Oreb and Zeeb, sharing the common fate (Judges 6;Judges 7;Judges 7 8). Echoes of this glorious victory-"the day of Midian"-are heard in later literature (Psalm 83:9Isaiah 9:4;Isaiah 10:26Habakkuk 3:7).
2. The Kenite Branch:
The Kenites appear to have been a branch of the Midianites. Jethro could hardly have attained the dignity of the priesthood in Midian had he been of alien blood (Judges 1:16). SeeKENITES. Again, the tribesmen are named indifferently Ishmaelites and Midianites (Genesis 37:25, 28, 36Judges 8:22, 24). They must therefore have stood in close relations with the descendants of Hagar's son.
3. Modern Arabs:
The representations of Midian in Scripture are consistent with what we know of the immemorial ways of Arabian tribes, now engaged in pastoral pursuits, again as carriers of merchandise, and yet again as freebooters. Such tribes often roam through wide circles. They appear not to have practiced circumcision (Exodus 4:25), which is now practically universal among the Arabs. The men wore golden ornaments, as do the modern nomads (Judges 8:24).
4. Historical References:
The name of "Midian" is not found in Egyptian or Assyrian documents. Delitzsch (Wo lag das Paradies? 304) suggests that Ephah (Genesis 25:4) may be identical with Chayapa of the cuneiform inscriptions. If this is correct the references point to the existence of this Midianite tribe in the North of el-Chijaz in the times of Tiglath-pileser and Sargon (745-705 B.C.). Isaiah speaks of Midian and Ephah apparently as separate tribes, whose dromedaries bear gold and frankincense to Zion (60:6); but he gives no hint of the districts they occupied. The tribe of Ghifar, found in the neighborhood of Medina in Mohammed's day, Knobel would identify with Epher, another of Midian's sons.
5. Territory:
No boundaries can now be assigned to "the land of Midian." It included territory on the West as well as on the East of the Gulf of `Aqaba (Exodus 4:19). It lay between Edom and Paran (1 Kings 11:18). In the time of the Judges their district seems to have extended northward to the East of Gilead (8:10).
A trace of the ancient name is found in that of Madyah, a place mentioned by the Arabic geographers, with a plentiful supply of water, now called Maghair Sho`aib. It lies East of the Gulf of `Aqaba, some miles from the coast, almost opposite the point of the Sinaitic peninsula. The name Sho`aib, given by Mohammed to Jethro, may here be due to ancient Midianite tradition.
W. Ewing
Strong's Hebrew
2888. Tabbath -- a place of refuge of theMidianites... 2887, 2888. Tabbath. 2889 . a place of refuge of the
Midianites. Transliteration:
Tabbath Phonetic Spelling: (tab-bath') Short Definition: Tabbath.
...4080. Midyan -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his desc. and...
... Keturah, also his desc. and the region where they settled NASB Word Usage
Midian (54),Midianites (5). Midian, Midianite. The same as...
4084. Midyani -- a descendant of Midian
... Word Origin from Midyan Definition a desc. of Midian NASB Word Usage Midianite
(3), Midianite woman (2),Midianites (3). Midianite....
Library
The Defeat of theMidianites.
... THE DEFEAT OF THEMIDIANITES. Large numbers of the Israelites gathered around
Gideon, prepared to fight against theMidianites, who...
How theMidianites and Other Nations Fought against the Israelites...
... CHAPTER 6. How TheMidianites And Other Nations Fought Against The Israelites And
Beat Them, And Afflicted Their Country For Seven Years, How They Were...
Accordingly, when theMidianites, as we have Related Above...
... The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus. Book I. Chapter XXV. Accordingly,
when theMidianites, as we have related above? Accordingly...
How the Hebrews Fought with theMidianites, and Overcame Them.
... From The Rejection Of That Generation To The Death Of Moses. CHAPTER 7. How
The Hebrews Fought With TheMidianites, And Overcame Them....
Gideon's Brave Band
... In course of time theMidianites conquered the Israelites.... The Israelites were so
robbed by theMidianites, that they cried to Jehovah for help....
The Story of Gideon and his Three Hundred Soldiers
... suffer for their sins. Once theMidianites, living near the desert on the
east of Israel, came against the tribes. The two tribes...
The Service Common to the Holy Angels and Other Bodiless Ones.
... under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite ; and
his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine-press to hide it from theMidianites...
Gideon and the Fleece.
... great trouble. They were hiding in dens and caves because of theMidianites,
who had conquered them and overrun their country. When...
A Great victory
... but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of theMidianites."
For the angel had said, "The Lord is with thee, Gideon," and Gideon had...
A Battle Without a Sword
... And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher,
and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after theMidianites.'"Judges 7:13...
Thesaurus
Midianites (30 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia MIDIAN;
MIDIANITES. mid'-i-an,
mid'-i-an-its (midhyan, midhyanim; Madiam, Madienaioi): 1. The See
...Midianite (11 Occurrences)
... After the Exodus, theMidianites were friendly to the Israelites so long as they
traversed only their outlying pasture-ground on the west of the Arabah; but...
Mid'ianites (12 Occurrences)
...Midianites, Mid'ianites. Midianitess .... Genesis 37:36 And theMidianites sold
him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard...
Midian (60 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Strife, the fourth son of Abraham by Keturah, the father
of theMidianites (Genesis 25:2; 1 Chronicles 1:32). Int.... MIDIAN;MIDIANITES....
Gideon (45 Occurrences)
... After the victory gained by Deborah and Barak over Jabin, Israel once more sank
into idolatry, and theMidianites (qv) and Amalekites, with other "children of...
Amalek (35 Occurrences)
... When they joined theMidianites to invade Israel they came "with their cattle and
their tents" (Judges 6:3-5). They are not to be identified with the...
Zebah (9 Occurrences)
... Man-killer, or sacrifice, one of the two kings who led the vast host of theMidianites
who invaded the land of Israel, and over whom Gideon gained a great and...
Oreb (4 Occurrences)
... Many of theMidianites perished along with him (Psalm 83:9; Isaiah 10:26).
Oreb, The rock of. The place where Gideon slew Oreb after...
Ophrah (9 Occurrences)
... 11; 8:27, 32). After his great victory over theMidianites, he slew at this
place the captive kings (8:18-21). He then assumed the...
Eastern (22 Occurrences)
... Judges 6:3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that theMidianites came up, and
the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them; (See...
Resources
Who were the Midianites? | GotQuestions.orgWhy did God command the Israelites to completely destroy the Midianites in Numbers 31:17? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of Midian in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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