Midian
“Strife”
Summary
Midian was the fourth son of Abraham by his wife Keturah and the progenitor of the Midianites, an Arabian people who had both friendly and hostile interactions with Israel.
☩Abraham's Son
Midian was Abraham's fourth son by Keturah, born after Sarah's death. Along with his brothers, he was sent away eastward by Abraham with gifts, so that Isaac would remain the sole heir of the covenant promises. Midian became the progenitor of a significant Arabian people who occupied territories east and south of Israel, ranging from the Gulf of Aqaba northward along the eastern frontier of Palestine.
☩Moses in Midian
When Moses fled from Egypt after killing the Egyptian, he found refuge in the land of Midian, which included pasture areas near Mount Horeb. There he married Zipporah, daughter of Jethro (also called Reuel), the priest of Midian, and tended his flocks for forty years. It was in this Midianite territory that God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and commissioned him to deliver Israel. Hobab, Moses' brother-in-law, later served as a guide for Israel through the wilderness.
☩Conflict with Israel
Relations between Israel and Midian soured when the Midianites joined with Moab in hiring Balaam to curse Israel and later in seducing Israel into idolatry and immorality at Shittim. In response, God commanded Israel to execute vengeance on Midian, resulting in a devastating defeat in which five Midianite kings and Balaam himself perished. Later, during the period of the Judges, Midianites oppressed Israel for seven years, making annual raids that stripped the land of its produce. Gideon's miraculous victory with three hundred men broke Midianite power permanently.
Related Verses38 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Midian," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VI (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Midian," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 3.James Orr (ed.), "Midian; Midianites," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Midian," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).