Midianites

The Midianites were a nomadic or semi-nomadic tribal confederation descended from Midian, the fourth son of Abraham by his concubine Keturah (Genesis 25:1–4). They occupied territory east and southeast of Canaan, primarily in the region east of the Gulf of Aqaba and in the Sinai and Negev wilderness. Moses spent forty years among the Midianites after fleeing Egypt, married Zipporah the daughter of Jethro (Reuel), a Midianite priest (Exodus 2:21), and received his call at the burning bush in Midianite territory. Moses' father-in-law later provided the model for Israel's judicial administration (Exodus 18).

Despite this positive early connection, Midian became one of Israel's persistent adversaries. Midianite women participated in the apostasy at Baal-peor (Numbers 25), leading to a commanded campaign against Midian (Numbers 31). In the period of the judges, the Midianites oppressed Israel for seven years, devastating crops and livestock by annual raids, until Gideon was called by God and defeated them with three hundred men (Judges 6–7). The Midianite princes — Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, and Zalmunna — were killed, and the victory became proverbial in later Scripture: "Do to them as you did to Midian" (Psalm 83:9); "you have shattered them as on the day of Midian" (Isaiah 9:4).