Midianite

The Midianites were an ancient Semitic people described in the Hebrew Bible as the descendants of Midian, one of the sons of Abraham and Keturah. The name Midian refers both to the people and to their homeland. In biblical accounts, their territory is placed in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula and the eastern side of the Sinai, a region that includes parts of modern-day western Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. They are consistently portrayed as a loose confederation of tribes rather than a single centralized state.

Historically, the Midianites interacted extensively with the Israelites during the Exodus period. Jethro (Reuel), described as a priest of Midian, is Moses’ father-in-law and provides hospitality and strategic advice. The Midianites are linked to the episode of Balaam, the non-Israelite prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel. They are also implicated in the incident at Baal of Peor, where Midianite and Moabite factions are said to have led Israel into idolatry, bringing a plague upon the people. According to Numbers 31, Israel later fought a war against Midian and captured their towns and spoils, after which the Israelites purified themselves.

In Islamic tradition, Midian is known as Madyan, and the Prophet Shuayb is regarded as a messenger sent to the people of Midian. In modern scholarship, the Midianites are studied chiefly from biblical texts and occasional archaeological evidence; the precise extent of their political structure, language, and culture remains debated. They are generally thought to have been a Semitic-speaking, nomadic and trading people who inhabited desert corridors and caravan routes connecting the Levant with the southern Arabian Peninsula.