From Nave’s Topical Bible
Midianites
Every passage the 1896 Nave’s Topical Biblegathers under this heading, in Nave’s own arrangement and then in Bible order. MannaFest has not written this page — it is the older index, transcribed, with the Word travelling beside each reference.
- 16Passages listed
- 6Books of the 66
- 1896Nave's edition
How Nave’s arranged it
- Descendants of Midian, son of Abraham by KeturahGenesis 25:1Genesis 25:2Genesis 25:41 Chronicles 1:321 Chronicles 1:33
- Called ISHMAELITESGenesis 37:25Genesis 37:28Judges 8:24
- Were merchantmenGenesis 37:28
- Buy Joseph and sell him to PotipharGenesis 37:28Genesis 37:36
- Defeated by the Israelites under Phineas
- Five of their kings killed
- The women taken captive
- Cities burned
- And rich spoil takenNumbers 31
- Defeated by GideonJudges 6Judges 7Judges 8
- Owned multitudes of camels, and dromedaries, and large quantities of goldIsaiah 60:6
- A snare to the IsraelitesNumbers 25:16–18
Show the rest of Nave’s outline (1 more headings) ▾
- Prophecies concerningIsaiah 60:6Habakkuk 3:7
The passages, in Bible order (16)
The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.
- Genesis 25:1
Now Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah,
Commentary on Genesis 25:12 voices
By her he had six sons, in whom the promise made to Abraham concerning the great increase of his posterity was in part fulfilled. The strength he received by the promise still remained in him, to shew how much the virtue of the promise exceeds the power of nature.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765Evangelical
Then again Abraham took a wife,.... Three years after the death of Sarah, and when his son Isaac was married, and he alone, and now one hundred and forty years of age: and her name was Keturah; who she was, or of what family, is not said. An Arabic writer (z) says she was a daughter of the king of the Turks; another (a) of them calls her the daughter of King Rama; and another (b) the daughter of Pactor, king of Rabbah; but there were then no such people in being.
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- Genesis 25:2
and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
Commentary on Genesis 25:21 voice
Zimran - Stephanus Byzantinus mentions a city in Arabia Felix called Zadram, which some suppose to have been named from this son of Keturah; but it is more likely, as Calmet observes, that all these sons of Abraham resided in Arabia Deserta; and Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. vi., c. 28, mentions a people in that country called Zamarenians, who were probably the descendants of this person. Jokshan - Several learned men have been of opinion that this Jokshan was the same as Kachtan, the father of the Arabs.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- Genesis 25:4
The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
Commentary on Genesis 25:41 voice
Ephah, and Epher, etc. - Of these we know no more than of the preceding; an abundance of conjectures is already furnished by the commentators.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- Genesis 37:25
And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.
Commentary on Genesis 37:251 voice
They sat down to eat bread - Every act is perfectly in character, and describes forcibly the brutish and diabolic nature of their ruthless souls. A company of Ishmaelites - We may naturally suppose that this was a caravan, composed of different tribes that, for their greater safety, were traveling together, and of which Ishmaelites and Midianites made the chief. In the Chaldee they are called Arabians, which, from ערב arab, to mingle, was in all probability used by the Targumist as the word Arabians is used among us, which comprehends a vast number of clans, or tribes of people.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Commentary on Genesis 37:282 voices
What profit is it if we slay our brother?--The sight of these travelling merchants gave a sudden turn to the views of the conspirators; for having no wish to commit a greater degree of crime than was necessary for the accomplishment of their end, they readily approved of Judah's suggestion to dispose of their obnoxious brother as a slave.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
(Verse 28) And the Ishmaelites sold Joseph for twenty silver coins. In Hebrew, silver coins are used instead of gold coins. For the Lord should not be sold for a lesser metal than Joseph.
Jerome· Hebrew Questions on GenesisPatristic
- Genesis 37:36
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
Commentary on Genesis 37:362 voices
(Verse 36.) Now the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an eunuch of Pharaoh and the chief of the royal executioners. In many places the Scriptures mention the chief of the executioners as the chief of the cooks, for μαγειρεύειν in Greek means to cook. Therefore, Joseph was sold to the chief of the army and the warriors, not to Potiphar, as it is written in Latin, but to Potiphar the eunuch. The question arises, how he is later said to have a wife.
Jerome· Hebrew Questions on GenesisPatristic
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s - The word סריס saris, translated officer, signifies a eunuch; and lest any person should imagine that because this Potiphar had a wife, therefore it is absurd to suppose him to have been a eunuch, let such persons know that it is not uncommon in the east for eunuchs to have wives, nay, some of them have even a harem or seraglio where they keep many women, though it does not appear that they have any progeny; and probably discontent on this ground might have contributed as much to the unfaithfulness of Potiphar’s wife, as that less principled motive through which it is commonly believed she acted.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- Judges 6:1
Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
Commentary on Judges 6:11 voice
Midian - See Gen 25:2 note. They were remarkable not only for the vast number of their cattle Jdg 6:5; Num 31:32-39, but also for their great wealth in gold and other metal ornaments, showing their connection with a gold country. (Compare Num 31:22, Num 31:50-54, with Jdg 8:24:26.) At this time they were allies of the Amalekites and of the Arabian tribes called collectively “the children of the East” Jdg 6:3. They seem to have extended their settlements to the east of Jordan, and to have belonged to the larger section of Arabs called Ishmaelites Jdg 8:24.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- Judges 7:1
Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
Commentary on Judges 7:11 voice
The well of Harod - i. e. of trembling, evidently so called from the people who were afraid Jdg 7:3. It is identified with great probability with Ain Jalud, a spacious pool at the foot of Gilboa; (by Conder, with Ain el Jem’ain (the spring of the two troops)). Moreh was, probably, the little Hermon, the Jebel ed-Duhy of the Arabs, which encloses the plain two or three miles north of Gilboa, which shuts it in on the south.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- Judges 8:1
Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “Why have you done this to us? Why did you fail to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him violently.
Commentary on Judges 8:11 voice
The success of Gideon’s enterprise mortified the pride of Ephraim, as the chief tribe, seeing that they had played a subordinate part. Compare Jdg 12:1.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- Judges 8:24
Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
Commentary on Judges 8:242 voices
Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you--This was the contribution of an earring (singular). As the ancient Arabians (Ishmaelites and Midianites being synonymous terms, Ge 37:25, 28) were gorgeously adorned with barbaric pearl and gold, an immense amount of such valuable booty had fallen into the hands of the Israelitish soldiers.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
Give me every man the ear-rings of his prey - The spoils taken from their enemies in this warfare. This is a transaction very like to that of the Israelites and Aaron; when they brought him their golden ear-rings, out of which he made the molten calf, Exo 32:2, etc. Whether Gideon designed this ephod for an instrument of worship, or merely as a trophy, is not very clear. It is most likely that he had intended to establish a place of worship at Ophrah; and he took this occasion to provide the proper sacerdotal vestments.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 1 Chronicles 1:32
The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 1:321 voice
Keturah, Abraham’s concubine - Abraham’s pilegesh, or wife of the second rank; she was neither whore, harlot, nor concubine, in our sense of these words.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 1 Chronicles 1:33
The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s sons.
- Isaiah 60:6
Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah, and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Commentary on Isaiah 60:62 voices
Ephah - The Midianites, and Ephahites dwelt beyond Arabia. Sheba - A country in Arabia Felix, whose queen it was, that came to visit Solomon, and her bringing gifts might be a type of this, Solomon being a type of Christ. Gold - The principal commodities with which this country abounded, by which we are to understand whatever is precious.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765Evangelical
(Verse 6, 7) The flood of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. All those from Sheba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall be offered on my acceptable altar, and I will glorify the house of my majesty.
Jerome· Commentary on IsaiahPatristic
- Habakkuk 3:7
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling.
Commentary on Habakkuk 3:72 voices
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 Nu 12:1, Moses' Midianite wife is called an Ethiopian (Hebrew, Cushite).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
(Verse 7.) I have seen the tents of Ethiopia because of iniquity, the skins of the land of Midian will be troubled. LXX: I have seen the dwellings of the Ethiopians because of their labors; they will be afraid, and the dwellings of the land of Midian.
Jerome· Commentary on HabakkukPatristic