Midian, Midianite

Definition

Midian was a son of Abraham and his wife Keturah. It is also the name of a people group and region located in the northern Arabian Desert to the south of the land of Canaan. The people of that group were called “Midianites.”

• When Moses first left Egypt, he went to the region of Midian where he met the daughters of Jethro and helped them water their flocks. Later Moses married one of Jethro’s daughters.
• Joseph was taken to Egypt by a group of Midianite slave traders.
• Many years later the Midianites attacked and raided the Israelites in the land of Canaan. Gideon led the Israelites in defeating them.
• Many of the modern-day Arabian tribes are descendants of this group.

(See also Arabia, Egypt, flock, Gideon, Jethro, Moses)

Bible References

• Acts 7:30
• Exodus 2:16
• Genesis 25:1-4
• Genesis 36:34-36
• Genesis 37:28
• Judges 7:1

Examples from the Bible stories

• __16:3 But then the people forgot about God and started worshiping idols again. So God allowed the Midianites__, a nearby enemy people group, to defeat them.
• __16:4 The Israelites were so scared, they hid in caves so the Midianites__ would not find them.
• __16:11 The man’s friend said, “This dream means that Gideon’s army will defeat the Midianite__ army!”
• __16:14 God confused the Midianites__, so that they started attacking and killing each other.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H4080, H4084, H4092