Bible Figure
Midian
son of Abraham in the bible (Genesis 25)
Midian was a son of Abraham and Keturah and ancestor of the Midianite peoples frequently encountered later in biblical history.
Biography
Genesis 25 lists Midian among Abraham's six sons by Keturah and names Midian's sons as Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. Abraham sent Keturah's sons eastward away from Isaac. Later biblical references to Midian concern the people descended from or associated with this ancestral line, including Moses' years in Midian and Israel's later conflicts with Midianites.
Biblical Significance
Midian connects Abraham's extended family with a people who play important roles throughout the Pentateuch and Judges. The ancestral person should be distinguished from the later land and nation of Midian.