Midian (AV [Note: V Authorized Version.] Madian, Acts 7:29)
This was the name of a people broken up into several clans and inhabiting N.W. Arabia. One clan, the Kenites, dwelt near Mount Sinai, and to it Moses fled from Pharaoh (Exodus 2:15). Its chief was Jethro (or Reuel), whose daughter Moses married (v. 21). In the days of the Judges they extended further north and made inroads into central Palestine. but they were severely defeated by Gideon (Judges 6:7), and are soon after lost to history. The town of Modiana mentioned by Ptolemy (Geog. vi. 7) as being on the N.W. coast of Arabia may be a late trace of them. Midian is probably used by later Jewish writers with a spiritual reference, symbolizing the Church’s final triumph over its foes (e.g. Isaiah 9:4, Isaiah 60:6, Habakkuk 3:7).
Literature.-G. A. Smith, HGHL [Note: GHL Historical Geography of the Holy Land (G. A. Smith).], 1897, p. 525; also art. [Note: rt. article.] ‘Midian’ in HDB [Note: DB Hastings’ Dict. of the Bible (5 vols.).] .
J. W. Duncan.