Midianites

The Midianites were an ancient Semitic people mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. They traced their name to Midian, a son of Abraham and his wife Keturah. They inhabited regions of northwestern Arabia and the eastern Sinai Peninsula, described in biblical geography as the land of Midian, often near the southern Levant and the Gulf of Aqaba. They were primarily nomadic or semi-nomadic traders.

Social and political organization and economy: The Midianites appear as a confederation of tribes rather than a centralized kingdom. They are associated with caravan trade across Sinai and Arabia, dealing in goods such as spices, metals, and textiles. Their religion is broadly described within biblical texts as part of a Northwest Arabian milieu; Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, is introduced as a priest of Midian.

Interactions with Israel: In biblical narratives, Midian faces conflict with Israel. After Moses fled to Midian, his association with Jethro grows. Midian figures in the Balaam episode with Balak and in later campaigns against Midian in the wilderness; the narratives also describe periods of opposition to Israel during the eras of the Judges and in the reign of David, including military actions linked to Ziklag.

Historical and scholarly notes: The historical identity and geography of the Midianites are chiefly known from biblical texts. Archaeological evidence for a distinct Midianite polity is limited, and some scholars connect Midian to broader South Semitic-speaking groups in the region. By late antiquity, Midianites as a separate entity had largely disappeared, absorbed by neighboring populations and trade networks such as the Nabataeans and other Arab tribes.