Midian

Midian begins as a person — a son of Abraham by Keturah — and the name passes to his descendants and their territory east and southeast of Canaan. Across the Hebrew Bible Midian appears in three different relations to Israel: as kin and host of Moses, as enemy in the wilderness and during the judges, and as a far country whose camels and tents serve later prophetic imagery.

Son of Abraham by Keturah

The name first appears in Abraham's second household: "And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah" (Ge 25:2). His own line is recorded next: "And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah" (Ge 25:4). The chronicler repeats the genealogy: "And the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba, and Dedan" (1Ch 1:32), with the second-generation list continuing in 1Ch 1:33.

Refuge for Moses

The land of Midian becomes Moses' refuge after he flees Pharaoh: "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and he settled in the land of Midian after having moved to the land of Midian. And [one day] he sat down by a well" (Ex 2:15). The Midianite household into which he marries supplies one of Israel's later interlocutors: "Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt" (Ex 18:1).

Allies of Moab and the War of Vengeance

By the wilderness years Midian has shifted alignment. The elders of Midian join Moab's alarm at Israel's approach: "And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now this multitude will lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time" (Nu 22:4). After the apostasy at Peor, Yahweh orders a punitive war: "Avenge the sons of Israel of the Midianites: afterward you will be gathered to your people" (Nu 31:2), and Moses musters Israel: "Arm⁺ men from among you⁺ for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh's vengeance on Midian" (Nu 31:3).

Oppressor in the Days of the Judges

Midian reappears as Israel's oppressor under the judges: "And the sons of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years" (Jg 6:1). The cry that follows brings Yahweh's response: "And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel cried to Yahweh because of Midian," (Jg 6:7). Gideon's reduced force confronts the Midianite camp in the valley: "And they took the provisions of the people in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the men of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley" (Jg 7:8). The Midianite camp is positioned in 7:1: "Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley" (Jg 7:1). The two princes of Midian fall in the rout: "And they took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine press of Zeeb, and pursued Midian: and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan" (Jg 7:25). The defeat ends an era: "So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon" (Jg 8:28).

Midianite Merchants in the Joseph Story

Earlier still, Midianite traders are the agents through whom Joseph reaches Egypt: "And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty [shekels of] silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt" (Ge 37:28). The story closes: "And the Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard" (Ge 37:36).

A Far Country in Later Memory

Midian remains in the geography of later narrative and prophecy. Hadad the Edomite passes through it on his way from Edom to Egypt: "And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land" (1Ki 11:18). Isaiah pictures its camels carrying tribute to Zion: "The multitude of camels will cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come; they will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the good news of the praises of Yahweh" (Is 60:6). Habakkuk recalls the trembling of its tents at a divine theophany: "I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian trembled" (Hab 3:7).