An enthusiastic Arabian Tribe
Brand new Midianites was in fact a great Proto-Arabian group; their residence foot was at Arabia and are also connected with Ishmaelites. The ebook away from Judges claims so it explicitly throughout the tale of Gideon, whom makes the adopting the demand of the Israelites shortly after beating the newest Midianites:
We come across proof the relationship anywhere between Midianites and Ishmaelites just like the better with respect to labels. As an example, Moses father-in-legislation Jethro or Jether (Exod cuatro:17) contains the exact same term because the Davids brother-in-law (partner of Davids brother Abigail), Jether new Ishmaelite (1 Chron dos:17).
New Spruce Trade
During the Iron Decades and afterwards, the brand new Midianites, once the an enthusiastic Arabian group, was basically area of the spruce exchange. They might travel out of Arabia and you may transit Israel on their treatment for the fresh Mediterranean coast and you will/or Egypt. This might be shown on the biblical story from Joseph, and that identifies Midianite and you can Ishmaelite dealers going to Egypt with spices and you can submissives:
Within story, this new traders got very first headed north, perhaps so you’re able to trade with the Arameans, and you will had been moving southern area from the Jezreel valley into Through Maris, that will bring him or her towards the Egypt. While the facts is determined regarding the 2nd 100 years B.C.E., anachronistic keeps eg camels show that it actually was written in the first century B.C.Age.