(Isa. 10:26; 9:4)
The Midianites sprang from Midian, a son of Abraham by Keturah, whom he married after the death of Sarah. But Abraham did not permit Midian’s sons to inherit with Isaac. Instead he gave them gifts and sent them away “to the country of the east” (Gen. 2:6), which probably included the desert fringes of Moab, Edom, and parts of the Sinai Peninsula.
Midianites next appear as tribes who bought Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt (Gen. 37:25–36). Later as Moses fled from Egypt, he went to the land of Midian, where he married Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, a Midianite priest (Ex. 2:15–22; 3:1). Relations with the Midianites were therefore friendly, and Jethro helped Moses with certain organizational tasks (Ex. 18).
Midianites soon became enemies of Israel, however. Feeling threatened when Israel attempted to penetrate the Transjordan region at the end of the wilderness wanderings, they and the Moabites hired Baalam to curse Israel (Num. 22:4–7). When the curse did not succeed, the Midianites involved their women in an attempt to lead Israel into apostasy and initially succeeded. The judgment fell on the Midianites, associated Moabites, and defecting Israelites (Num. 25). Midianites were singled out for destruction (Num. 25:16–18). And Israel enjoyed a great victory over them (Num. 31).
Thereafter the Midianites remained adversaries of Israel, and during the period of the judges periodically harassed some of the Israelite tribes. During the days of Gideon they raided the stockpiles of new grain during harvest time, but Gideon dealt them an overwhelming defeat (Judges 7–8). Scripture later cited this defeat as an example of God’s deliverance of His people from oppression (Ps. 83:9, 11; Isa. 9:4; 10:26).
(Howard F. Vos, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Manners and Custom,[Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999], 130.)