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Midianites. (#142272)
Midianites.
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From:
The New Topical Textbook
By:
Reuben Archer Torrey
• 1 min. read • grade level: 13
Descended from Midian, son of Abraham by Keturah.
Gen. 25:1, 2
1
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
2
And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. (Genesis 25:1‑2)
.
1 Chron. 1:32
32
Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan. (1 Chronicles 1:32)
.
Dwelt east of Jordan, beside Moab.
Num. 22:1, 4
1
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. (Numbers 22:1)
4
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. (Numbers 22:4)
.
A SMALL PART OF
Dwelt near Horeb.
Ex. 2:15
15
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. (Exodus 2:15)
, with
Ex. 3:1
1
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. (Exodus 3:1)
.
Retained the knowledge and worship of Jehovah.
Ex. 2:16
16
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. (Exodus 2:16)
, with
Ex. 18:9-12
9
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10
And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
11
Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
12
And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God. (Exodus 18:9‑12)
.
Governed by kings.
Num. 31:8
8
And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. (Numbers 31:8)
.
Judg. 8:5
5
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. (Judges 8:5)
.
Dwelt in tents.
Hab. 3:7
7
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. (Habakkuk 3:7)
.
Engaged in commerce.
Gen. 37:28, 36
28
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. (Genesis 37:28)
36
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard. (Genesis 37:36)
.
Conquered by Hadad.
Gen. 36:35
35
And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. (Genesis 36:35)
.
1 Chron. 1:46
46
And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. (1 Chronicles 1:46)
.
Excited by Moab against Israel.
Num. 22:4
4
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. (Numbers 22:4)
.
Terrified at approach of Israel.
Hab. 3:3-7
3
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4
And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
5
Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
6
He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
7
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. (Habakkuk 3:3‑7)
.
VATS THE MOABITES,
Sent
for Balaam to curse Israel.
Num. 22:5-7
5
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
6
Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
7
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. (Numbers 22:5‑7)
.
Seduced Israel to idolatry, &c.
Num. 25:1-6
1
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
2
And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
3
And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
4
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.
5
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
6
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 25:1‑6)
.
Punished for seducing Israel.
Num. 25:16-18
16
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
17
Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
18
For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake. (Numbers 25:16‑18)
.
Num. 31:1-12
1
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
3
And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian.
4
Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
5
So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6
And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
7
And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
8
And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
9
And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
10
And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
11
And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
12
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. (Numbers 31:1‑12)
.
Allowed to oppress Israel.
Judg. 6:1-6
1
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3
And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
4
And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5
For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. (Judges 6:1‑6)
.
Gideon raised up against.
Judg. 6:11-14
11
And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
13
And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? (Judges 6:11‑14)
.
With Amalek, &c. opposed Gideon.
Judg. 6:33
33
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. (Judges 6:33)
.
Miraculously defeated and destroyed by Gideon.
Judg. 7:16-22
16
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17
And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
18
When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
19
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
20
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
21
And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22
And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. (Judges 7:16‑22)
.
Judg. 8:10, 11
10
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
11
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. (Judges 8:10‑11)
.
Princes of, slain.
Judg. 7:24, 25
24
And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.
25
And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. (Judges 7:24‑25)
.
Judg. 8:12, 21
12
And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. (Judges 8:12)
21
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks. (Judges 8:21)
.
Completeness of their destruction, alluded to.
Psa. 83:9-11
9
Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10
Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.
11
Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: (Psalm 83:9‑11)
.
Isa. 9:4
4
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. (Isaiah 9:4)
.
Isa. 10:26
26
And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. (Isaiah 10:26)
.
Shall minister to future glory of the church.
Isa. 60:6
6
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. (Isaiah 60:6)
.
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