Midian

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Midian (Hebrew: מִדְיָן‎) is a geographical place cited in the Bible. It is believed to be in northwest Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba.^[1] Some scholars say it was not a geographical area but a league of tribes^[2]

Contents 1 Geographical location and culture 2 Religion 3 Language 4 Biblical references 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External links

[edit] Geographical location and culture

Archaeological expeditions have discovered 'Midianite wares' in Iraq, Jordan, Arabia and the Negev desert in southern Israel. Establishing the precise location of Midian is difficult, but evidence indicates that it may have extended from the eastern shores of the Sinai peninsula to the deserts east of the Gulf of Aqabah, Edom and Moab.^[3]

[edit] Religion

The Midianites through their apparent religio-political connection with the Moabites^[4] are thought to have worshipped a multitude of gods^[5], including Baal-peor and the Queen of Heaven, Ashteroth. An Egyptian temple of Hathor at Timna continued to be used during the Midianite occupation of the site; however, whether Hathor or some other deity was the object of devotion during this period is impossible to ascertain.

The Qur'an attributes the Midianites' destruction to their failure to heed to the worship of Allah^[6].

[edit] Language

According to one researcher, the Midianite language was not western semitic, Canaanite, Akkadian or Egyptian but rather an Arabian language written in Thamudic script (wasums) developed from rock art.^[7] The language at Elat was Egyptian and in Edom was Canaanite c 1450 BC. In parts of the Arabian peninsula fronting on the Persian Gulf, there are both Ubaid and Harrapan linguistic influences. ^[8]

[edit] Biblical references

1. Joseph is sold by his brothers to Midianites^[9]
2. Midian was where Moses spent the forty years in voluntary exile after murdering the Egyptian^[10]
   1. Moses married Zipporah the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian^[11]
3. Moab and Midian collude for Israel's destruction
4. Peace between Israel, Moab and Midian
5. War between Israel and Midian
   1. Israel slays the five kings and all the males of Midian
   2. Israel executes the young boys and women who were not virgins
   3. Israel takes captive 32,000 virgin girls

It may be noted that these five princes of Midian are called by Joshua^[12] the vassals of Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. It is possible that Sihon had previously conquered Midian and made it a vassal, and that after his death the Midianites recovered their independence. The Israelite soldiers set fire to all the cities and fortresses of the Midianites, took the women and children into captivity, and seized their cattle and goods. Moses ordered the Israelite commanders to slay every Midianite male child and every woman, but to keep the female virgins alive.^[13] These virgins were then divided amongst the twelve tribes along with the other "booty."^[14]

It appears from the same account that the Midianites were rich in cattle and gold. The narrative shows that each of the five Midianite tribes was governed by its own king, but that all acted together against a common enemy; that while a part of each tribe dwelt in cities and fortresses in the vicinity of Moab, another part led a nomadic life, living in tents and apparently remote from the seat of the war.

The Biblical account of the battle between the Midianites and Gideon^[15] asserts that the Israelites suffered at the hands of the Midianites for a space of seven years^[16]. The Midianites seem to have been then a powerful and independent nation; they allied themselves with the Amalekites and the Kedemites, and they oppressed the Israelites so severely that many were obliged to seek refuge in caves and strongholds; Midianite raiders destroyed crops and reduced them to extreme poverty.^[17] The allied army of Midianites and Amalekites encamped in the valley of Jezreel^[18] after having crossed the Jordan. Gideon with his army encamped by the fountain of Harod, the Midianite army being to the north of him. With 300 men Gideon succeeded in surprising and routing them, and they fled homeward across the Jordan in confusion.^[19] A point worth noting is that here only two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, and two princes (or generals - Hebrew: שַׂר), Oreb and Zeeb, are mentioned.^[20] This would show that only two tribes bore the name "Midianites," while the remaining three probably were merged with other tribes, including perhaps partly with the Israelites. Midian is stated to have been "subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more."^[21] In fact, aside from allusions to this victory,^[22] Midian is not mentioned again in sacred history except in Judith 2:26, where the term "Midianites" seems to be a mistake for "Arabians."

The people of Midian are also mentioned extensively in the Qur'an, where the name appears in Arabic as Madyan.

[edit] See also

• Balak
• Eglon
• Ishmaelites
• Kedar
• History of ancient Israel and Judah
• The Bible and history

[edit] References

1. ^ Dever, William G. Who were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From? William B Eerdmans Publishing Co (24 May 2006) ISBN: 978-0802844163 p.34
2. ^ Bromiley Geoffrey W . The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1996 ISBN:978-0802837837 p.350
3. ^ Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, Midian, Review & Herald Publishing Association (Washington D.C., USA) 1960
4. ^ Genesis 36:35; Numbers 22:4,7; Numbers 25:1,6
5. ^ Qur'an, Al-Araf, 7:85
6. ^ Qur'an, Hud, 11:84,95
7. ^ Dr. Muhammed Abdul Nayeem, (1990). Prehistory and Protohistory of the Arabian Peninsula. Hyderabad. ISBN. p 167
8. ^ Shaika Haya Ali Al Khalifa and Michael Rice, (1986). Bahrain through the Ages. KPI. ISBN 071030112-x.
9. ^ Genesis 37:28
10. ^ Exodus 2:11-15
11. ^ Exodus 2:21
12. ^ Joshua 13:21
13. ^ Numbers 31:2–18
14. ^ Numbers 31:25–47
15. ^ Judges 6-8
16. ^ Judges 6:1
17. ^ Judges 6:1–6
18. ^ Judges 6:33
19. ^ Judges 7:1–24
20. ^ Judges 7:25 – 8:21
21. ^ Judges 8:28
22. ^ Psalms 83:10,12; Isaiah 9:4, 10:26; Habakkuk 3:7

• This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.

[edit] Further reading

• Clines, David and John Sawyer, eds. "Midian, Moab and Edom: The History and Archaeology of Late Bronze and Iron Age Jordan and North-West Arabia". Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Supplement Series, No. 24. Sheffield Academic Press, 1983.

[edit] External links

• Singer, Isidore and M. Seligsohn. "Midian and Midianites". Jewish Encyclopedia. Funk and Wagnalls, 1901-1906, which cites to:
• Archaeology of Timna
• Another Timna archaeology site
• Richard Burton's account of his travels in "The Land of Midian"
• Spring of Harod - Ma'ayan Harod