Midianites Versus Ethiopians in Biblical Texts

The terms "Midianites" and "Ethiopians" in biblical texts refer to distinct groups, though some biblical passages and interpretations have linked them. The Midianites were an Arabian tribe descended from Midian, a son of Abraham and Keturah ^{[1, 6]}. They primarily inhabited the desert north of the Arabian peninsula, with the Sinai Peninsula serving as pastureland for their flocks ^{[1, 6]}. They were a nomadic people engaged in commerce, and it was to a Midianite caravan that Joseph was sold ^{[1, 16]}. The Midianites are also noted for their interaction with Moses, who fled to Midian and became the son-in-law of a Midianite priest ^{[1, 4]}. Later, the Midianites, often in conjunction with the Moabites, became adversaries of Israel, inciting them to idolatry and licentiousness ^{[9, 10, 15, 17]}. They afflicted Israel for seven years before being overcome by Gideon ^{[8, 11]}.

The term "Ethiopian" in the Bible properly refers to "Cushite" ^[2]. This country, known as "Ethiopia" to the Greeks and Romans and "Cush" to the Hebrews, lay south of Egypt and encompassed modern Nubia, Sennaar, Kordofan, and northern Abyssinia ^[7]. The inhabitants of Ethiopia were a Hamitic race ^[7].

A point of connection between these two groups arises in Numbers 12:1, which mentions Moses' "Ethiopian woman" ^{[5, 13]}. While some have suggested this refers to a second wife Moses married after Zipporah, who was a Midianite, others interpret the "Ethiopian woman" as Zipporah herself ^[5]. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, notes that the "daughter of the priest of Midian, whom Moses married, is called an Ethiopian woman" ^[12]. Similarly, one commentary tradition by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown suggests that Moses' Midianite wife is called an Ethiopian (Hebrew, Cushite) in Numbers 12:1, linking "Cushan" (Cush) with "Midian" in Habakkuk 3:7 ^[14]. This suggests that in some biblical contexts, or through interpretive traditions, the terms could be used interchangeably or refer to closely related peoples. Josephus also records Moses leading a war against the Ethiopians ^[3]. However, the Midianites and Ethiopians are generally understood as distinct peoples with separate geographical and genealogical origins ^{[1, 2, 6, 7]}.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Midianite — An Arabian tribe descended from Midian. They inhabited principally the desert north of the peninsula of Arabia. The peninsula of Sinai was the pasture-ground for their flocks. They were virtually the rulers of Arabia, being the dominant tribe. Like all Arabians, they were a nomad people. They early engaged in commercial pursuits. It was to one of their caravans that Joseph was sold (Gen. 37:28, 36). The next notice of them is in connection with Moses' flight from Egypt (Ex. 2:15-21). Here in Midian Moses became the servant and afterwards the son-in-law of”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ethiopian — properly "Cushite," (Jeremiah 13:23) used of Zerah, (2 Chronicles 14:9) (8), and Ebed-melech. (Jeremiah 38:7,10,12; 39:16)”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 10, section 1: . How Moses Made War With The Ethiopians.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Midianites — Descended form Midian, son of Abraham by Keturah -- Ge 25:1,2; 1Ch 1:32. Dwelt east of Jordan, beside Moab -- Nu 22:1,4. A small part of Dwelt near Horeb. -- Ex 2:15; 3:1. Retained the knowledge and worship of Jehovah. -- Ex 2:16; 18:9-12. Governed by kings -- Nu 31:8; Jdj 8:5. Dwelt in tents -- Hab 3:7. Engaged in commerce -- Ge 37:28,36. Conquered by Hadad -- Ge 36:25; 1Ch 1:46. Excited by Moab against Israel -- Nu 22:4. Terrified at approach of Israel -- Hab 3:3-7. With the moabites Sent for Balaam to curse Israel. -- Nu 22:5-7. Seduced Israel to idol”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ethiopian Woman — The wife of Moses is to described in (Numbers 12:1) She is elsewhere said to have been the daughter of a Midianite, and in consequence of this some have supposed that the allusion is to another wife whom Moses married after the death of Zipporah.”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Midian — (strife), a son of Abraham and Keturah, (Genesis 25:2; 1 Chronicles 1:32) progenitor of the Midianites, or Arabians dwelling principally in the desert north of the peninsula of Arabia. Southward they extended along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Eyleh (Sinus AElaniticus); and northward they stretched along the eastern frontier of Palestine. The "land of Midian," the place to which Moses fled after having killed the Egyptian, (Exodus 2:15,21) or the portion of it specially referred to, was probably the peninsula of Sinai. The influence of the Midianties on t”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ethiopia — (burnt faces). The country which the Greeks and Romans described as "AEthiopia" and the Hebrews as "Cush" lay to the south of Egypt, and embraced, in its most extended sense, the modern Nubia, Sennaar, Kordofan and northern Abyssinia, and in its more definite sense the kingdom of Meroe. (Ezekiel 29:10) The Hebrews do not appear to have had much practical acquaintance with Ethiopia itself, though the Ethiopians were well known to them through their intercourse with Egypt. The inhabitants of Ethiopia were a Hamitic race. (Genesis 10:6) They were divided into ”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 1: . How The Midianites And Other Nations Fought Against The Israelites And Beat Them, And Afflicted Their Country For Seven Years, How They Were Delivered By Gideon, Who Ruled Over The Multitude For Forty Years.”
Numbers ““Harass the Midianites, and strike them, -- Numbers 25:17”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 30: these Midianite women, who came to entice the Israelites to lewdness and idolatry, viz. that their worship of the God of Israel, in opposition to their idol gods, implied their living according to the holy laws which the true God had given them by Moses, in opposition to those impure laws which were observed under their false gods, well deserves our consideration; and gives us a substantial reason for the great concern that was ever shown under the law of Moses to preserve the Israelites from idolatry, and in the worship of the ”
Judges “Judges 6:2 (BBE) — And Midian was stronger than Israel; and because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made holes for themselves in the mountains, and hollows in the rocks, and strong places.”
Habakkuk (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Habakkuk 3:7: I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction,.... The same with Cush or Ethiopia; hence the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it, "the tents of the Ethiopians"; and these are the same with "the curtains of Midian" in the next clause, tents being made of curtains, and the Ethiopians and Midianites the same people; so the daughter of the priest of Midian, whom Moses married, is called an Ethiopian woman, Exo 2:21. This seems to have respect to that panic which seized the neighbouring nations by whom the Israelites passed, as well as the Canaanites, into whose lan”
Numbers (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Numbers 12:1: And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses,.... Miriam is first mentioned, because she was first in the transgression, and so was only punished; Aaron was drawn into the sin by her, and he acknowledged his fault, and was forgiven: it must be a great trial to Moses, not only to be spoken against by the people, as he often was, but by his near relations, and these gracious persons, and concerned with him in leading and guiding the people through the wilderness, Mic 6:4, because of the Ethiopian woman, whom he had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman; not a qu”
Habakkuk (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Habakkuk 3:7: the tents--that is, the dwellers. Cushan--the same as Cush; made "Cush-an" to harmonize with "Midi-an" in the parallel clause. So Lotan is found in the Hebrew of Genesis for Lot. BOCHART therefore considers it equivalent to Midian, or a part of Arabia. So in Num 12:1, Moses' Midianite wife is called an Ethiopian (Hebrew, Cushite). MAURER thinks the dwellers on both sides of the Arabian Gulf, or Red Sea, are meant; for in Hab 3:6 God's everlasting or ancient ways of delivering His people are mentioned; and in Hab 3:8, the dividing of the Red Sea for ”
Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 31:1: 31:1-2 The Lord ordered Moses to lead Israel in a war of retaliation against the Midianites, who had joined the Moabites in leading the Hebrews into idolatry (ch 25). The Midianites were a tribal people who inhabited the arid and semiarid regions south and east of Palestine and east of the Jordan River; they were counted among the “people of the east” (Judg 6:3, 33; 7:12). They lived in camps or settlements and were famous for their knowledge of desert transportation (cp. Gen 37:28, 36; Isa 60:6). While they were descended from Abraham (Gen 25:1-2) and had been f”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 84:18: “Midianite men, merchants, passed, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit; they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and they brought Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28). “Midianite [ midyanim ] men, merchants, passed” – their contentiousness [ hadayyanim ] passed. 56 Joseph’s brothers regretted what they had done. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Baitus in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: It is written: “Why do you lead us astray, Lord, from Your ways?” (Isaiah 63:17) – when You wished, You placed in their heart to love, and when You wishe”
Numbers (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Numbers 31 (introduction): THE MIDIANITES SPOILED AND BALAAM SLAIN. (Num. 31:1-54) the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites--a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah, occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, planned to entrap the Israelites into the double crime of idolatry and licentiousness [Num 25:1-3, Num 25:17-18] by which, it was hoped, the Lord would withdraw fr”

Ask Your Own Question