Midianites

Midianites, an Arab race, descended, according to Scripture, from Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah. They occupied great part of the country between the Red Sea and the Plains of Moab, and had their headquarters east of what is now the Gulf of Akabah. They were at least partly nomadic, but their caravans brought gold and incense from the south to Palestine, and traded between Egypt and Syria. Some of them lived near Sinai; to them belonged Jethro, priest or sheik of Midian—the father-in-law of Moses. The Midianites were very troublesome neighbours to the Israelites till Gideon's victory over them. Their national god was Baal-Peor. In Midian proper, to the east and south-east of the Gulf of Akabah, the Romans had valuable mines. Sir Richard Burton was convinced that gold was still to be found there, and as an outcome of visits paid in this interest wrote his Gold Mines and Ruined Cities of Midian (1878), and Midian Revisited (1879). Later travellers have not confirmed his opinion; but petroleum seems to occur. Midian ceased to be Egyptian and became Turkish again in 1887.