The Midianites, descendants of Midian, a son of Abraham by his concubine Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), are frequently mentioned in the Bible as a nomadic people inhabiting the region east of the Jordan River and the Sinai Peninsula. They are often depicted as traders and merchants, playing a significant role in the ancient Near Eastern trade networks.

One of the most notable biblical accounts of the Midianites as merchantmen is found in the account of Joseph. In Genesis 37, Joseph's brothers, driven by jealousy, plot to kill him but ultimately decide to sell him into slavery. The narrative describes how the brothers encounter a caravan of Ishmaelites, who are also identified as Midianite traders, traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Genesis 37:28 states, "So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt." This passage highlights the Midianites' role as intermediaries in the trade routes between Canaan and Egypt, dealing in goods and human trafficking.

The Midianites' involvement in trade is further evidenced by their possession of valuable commodities. In Judges 8:24-26, after Gideon's victory over the Midianites, the Israelites collect gold earrings from the plunder, indicating the wealth accumulated by the Midianites through their mercantile activities. The passage notes, "Gideon continued, 'I would like to 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.) They said, 'We will give them gladly.' So they spread out a cloak, and each man threw an earring from his plunder onto it. The weight of the gold earrings he requested was seventeen hundred shekels, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and the chains on the necks of their camels."

The Midianites' identity as merchantmen is intertwined with their complex relationship with the Israelites. While they were at times adversaries, as seen in the account of Balaam and the subsequent conflict in Numbers 31, their role as traders facilitated interactions between different cultures and economies in the region. The Midianites' commercial activities underscore the interconnectedness of ancient societies and the importance of trade in the biblical narrative.

In summary, the Midianites are depicted in the Bible as a people deeply engaged in trade, serving as merchantmen who connected various regions through their caravans. Their interactions with the Israelites, both as traders and adversaries, reflect the multifaceted nature of their presence in the biblical world.Genesis 37:28
Then there passed by Midianites merchants; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Nave's Topical Index

Man's Passions and God's Purpose
... And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and
they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/mans passions and gods purpose.htm

Joseph and his Brethren
... you, this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves ... And there
passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/i joseph and his brethren.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... The Midianites were accustomed almost every year to pass through the region beyond
the Jordan which the house of Joseph had recently colonised. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

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