Midian (Son of Abraham)

Biblical Record

Midian appears only by name in genealogies; none of his words or deeds are recorded.

• Genesis 25:1–4: Abraham took another wife, Keturah, who bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The passage then lists the sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
• Genesis 25:5–6: Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. To the sons of his concubines he gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from Isaac "eastward, unto the east country." Midian was one of these sons.
• 1 Chronicles 1:32–33: The same genealogy is repeated. Here Keturah is called "Abraham's concubine."

Significance in Scripture

In the Old Testament, "Midian" usually refers to the Midianites, who are regarded as this man's descendants, or to the land they inhabited. The Midianites appear in a number of episodes:

• The merchants who carried Joseph down to Egypt (Genesis 37:28, 36)
• The land where Moses took refuge, and his father-in-law Jethro (Exodus 2–3; 18)
• The account of Balaam and the incident at Peor (Numbers 22; 25)
• The people who oppressed Israel in the days of Gideon (Judges 6–8)

This genealogy shows that Israel and Midian branched off from a common ancestor, Abraham. At the same time, it makes clear that the line of promise continued through Isaac. The New Testament does not mention Midian the individual directly; the name appears only as a place name, when Stephen says that Moses "was a stranger in the land of Madian" (Acts 7:29).

Interpretation and Issues

• Keturah's status and the timing of the marriage: Genesis describes Keturah as a wife whom Abraham took, while 1 Chronicles calls her a "concubine." Interpreters therefore differ on whether Keturah was a full wife or a concubine, and on whether Abraham married her after the death of Sarah. Some rabbinic traditions are reported to identify Keturah with Hagar, though the text itself does not say this.
• Midianites and Ishmaelites: In the Joseph narrative of Genesis 37, the merchants are called both "Midianites" and "Ishmaelites." Judges 8:24 likewise refers to the Midianites as Ishmaelites. Some interpreters take the two names as general terms for caravan traders, while others see them as traces of distinct traditions that have been combined.
• Nature of the genealogy: Some scholars read the names in Genesis 25 as a genealogy expressing relationships among the tribes of the Arabian region. The land of Midian is commonly located in northwestern Arabia, east of the Gulf of Aqaba.
• Connection with Jethro: It is often added that Moses' father-in-law Jethro was a descendant of this Midian. The text, however, does not directly trace Jethro's lineage back to Midian.

In Korean Churches

Midian the individual is rarely the subject of sermons or Sunday school lessons. The name Midian is nonetheless familiar to churchgoers through the accounts of Moses' years in the wilderness of Midian and of Gideon's victory. Midian himself is typically mentioned only in expository preaching on Genesis 25 or in read-through-the-Bible programs, when the distinction between Isaac and Abraham's other descendants is explained.