MIDIAN strife MaSta,u; Madian), the name of Abraham's fourth son by Keturah, and of a powerful and celebrated nation that sprung from him (Gen. xxv. 2 ; Num. xxii.) The Gentile noun is ':"11: (Num. x. 29; MaScan(rns), fern. The plural (Maampirac and Maattivaiot) is used a few times (Gen. xxxvii. 28; Num. xxv. 17); but the usual name given to the nation is simply ilfidan. In the N. T. (Acts vii. 29, Text. Rec.) the form MaSicit4 is used as in the LXX.
Midian, though not the oldest, was the most celebrated son of Keturah. What Judah became among the tribes of Israel, Midian became among the tribes of Arabia. It is true we find the other branches of the Keturites spoken of a few times in sacred history, and mentioned in such a way as to prove that as tribes they never lost their individu ality; yet the Midianites were the dominant people, and Midian is the great name which always comes out prominently before the historian. Not only so; but the Midianites appear to have been for a lengthened period the virtual rulers of Arabia, combining into a grand confederacy, and then guiding or controlling, as circumstances required, all the Arabian branches of the Hebrew race. This fact comes ont incidentally in many parts of Scripture; and we require to keep it carefully in view in order to understand the sacred narrative.
Midian had five sons, who, doubtless, in ac cordance with Arab custom, became heads of dis tinct tribes (Gen. xxv. 4 j cf. Num. xxxi. 8). We are told that while Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,' that is, made him his heir—head of his house and patrimony—' to the sons of the concu bines Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son while he yet lived, eastward, to the land in the east' (vers. 5, 6). This is the first indication of the country occupied by the Midianites and other descendants of Keturah. The expres sion is not very definite. Abraham's principal place of residence was southern Palestine, Mamre and Beersheba. The 'country of the east' appears to have included the whole region on the east side of the Arabah or great valley which reaches from the fountains of the Jordan to the YElanitie Gulf. All Arabia, in fact, and even Mesopotamia were in cluded in the country of the east' (Gen. xxix. I; Num. xxiii. 7, etc.) Another incidental notice in Gen. xxxvi. 35 points more clearly to the exact territory of Midian. Hadad, one of the early kings of Edom, is said to have 'smitten Midian in the field of Moab.' We may conclude from this that the Midianites were at that time settled on the eastern borders of Moab and Edom. They were, like all Arabians, a nomad, or semi-nomad people; having some settlements around fountains and in fertile valleys, but forced to wander in their tents from place to place to secure sufficient pasture for their flocks. The Midianites were an enterprising people. They were not satisfied with the dull routine of pastoral and agricultural life. From the first they appear to have engaged in commercial pursuits. Some districts of Arabia, eastern Pales tine, and Lebanon, yielded valuable spices and perfumes which were in great demand in Egypt, not merely for the luxuries of the living, but for the embalming of the dead. In this profitable
trade the Midianites engaged. It was to one of their caravans passing through Palestine from Gilead to Egypt, that Joseph was sold by his brethren (Gen. xxxvii. 25, seq.) • Slaves at that time found as ready a market in Egypt as they do now It will be observed that the traders are called by the historian both Ishmaelites and Midi anite:, the two names being used as synonymous. The reason probably is, that these were the domi nant tribes in Arabia, and carried on the trade jointly, hence they were known among strangers by both names. It would seem, however, that the merchants in this caravan were true Midianites, though they may have been accompanied by Ish maelites (verses 28, 36 ; but cL 25, 27).• The next notice of Midian is in connection with the eventful history of Moses—' Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of (Exod. ii. 15). Reuel or Jethro, the priest of Midian, became his master and father-in-law. Moses kept his flock. The subsequent incidents of this strange narrative show clearly the region then inhabited by Jethro, and called the land of Midian," It was the peninsula of Sinai, and it was while watching his flock there on the side of Horeb that he saw the glory of the Lord in the burning bush, and received the commission to return to Egypt for the deliverance of Israel (Exod. iii. t, seq.) It would appear, from a comparison of the several in. cidental notices of Jethro given in the Pentateuch, that the peninsula of Sinai was not his settled place of abode. When Israel was encamped at Horeb, Jethro brought thither Moses' wife and two sons ; and after a brief stay, we are told that he went his way into his own land' (Exod. xviii. 1-3, 27 ; d Num. x. 29, 3o). The Midianites were nomads I roaming over a very wide region, but, like most Arab tribes, having one permanent nucleus. This nucleus was specially their home : it was the land of their kindred ;' yet they also claimed the whole region h: which they pastured their flocks as their own. The nucleus of the Midianites was some where on the eastern border of Edom, but their pasture-grounds extended probably as far as Gilead and Bashan ou the north, while on the south they embraced an extensive territory along both shores of the YElanitic Gulf. Hence Horeb was said to be in the land of Midian (Exod. ii. 15 with iii. while we read in another place that Jethro left the camp of Israel at Horeb, and went his way unto his own land' (i.e.); that is, to the chief seat of his tribe on the east of Edom. The Midianites were thus accustomed to lead their flocks and herds over the whole of that region which the Israelites after wards traversed—the choice pastures, the fountains, and the wells in the desert were all known to them. This fact throws light on Moses' urgent request to his father-in-law—' Leave us not, I pray thee : forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes' (Num. x. 31).