The Son of Abraham and Keturah
Midian was born to Abraham in his old age, following the death of Sarah. Abraham took a second wife named Keturah, and Midian was her fourth son.
Genesis 25:1–2 records the lineage: “Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.”
To protect the line of promise established through Isaac, Abraham separated Midian and his brothers from the primary inheritance while he was still living. Genesis 25:6 states: “But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, his sons, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.” Midian journeyed into the vast arid regions east and south of Canaan, establishing a nomadic, warrior culture that spread throughout the Arabian desert and around the Gulf of Aqaba.
The Descendants of Midian (The Midianites)
The descendants of Midian developed into a multi-tribal confederation. Midian himself had five sons who became the founding patriarchs of these regional clans.
1 Chronicles 1:33 documents them: “And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.”
Throughout the Old Testament scriptural record, Midian’s descendants played alternating roles as neighbors, temporary sanctuaries, and fierce adversaries to the house of Israel.
The Sale of Joseph
The Midianites first intersect with the sons of Jacob as traveling merchant traders. In Genesis 37:28, when Joseph’s brothers conspired to rid themselves of him, a caravan of desert traders arrived: “Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.”
The Sanctuary of Moses
Centuries later, when Moses fled Egypt after slaying an Egyptian taskmaster, he sought sanctuary in the land of Midian.
It was here that he met Jethro (also known as Reuel), a priest of Midian who feared the true God. Moses married Jethro’s daughter, Zipporah, and spent forty years tending sheep in the desert of Midian before encountering the Lord at the burning bush (Exodus 2:15–22). Jethro later provided critical counsel to Moses regarding the governance of the Israelite camp in the wilderness (Exodus 18).
The Corruption at Baal-peor
The relationship turned sharply adversarial during the wilderness wanderings. Terrified of Israel’s numbers, the elders of Midian allied with Moab and hired the false prophet Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22).
When that failed, Midianite women were used to systematically seduce the men of Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality at Baal-peor, bringing a devastating plague upon the camp. The Lord commanded Moses to execute a swift military strike against them: “Vex the Midianites, and smite them: For they vex you with their wiles…” (Numbers 25:17–18). In the ensuing battle, five kings of Midian and Balaam himself were executed (Numbers 31).
The Oppression and the Sword of Gideon
The final major historical clash occurred during the era of the Judges. Because Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, God delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.
The Midianites, alongside the Amalekites, swarmed the agricultural lands of Israel like locusts, destroying the crops and leaving the nation completely impoverished (Judges 6:1–6).
The Lord raised up Gideon to deliver the nation. With a small, hand-selected force of only three hundred men armed with trumpets, pitchers, and lamps, Gideon launched a midnight surprise attack on the massive Midianite camp. The Lord turned every man’s sword against his fellow throughout the host, resulting in the total shattering of Midianite military dominance. The two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and their kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, were captured and executed, marking an end to Midian’s historical oppression of Israel (Judges 7–8).