Midian

Midian is the desert territory east of the Gulf of Aqaba where Moses spends years in exile tending flocks - the place of his marriage to Zipporah, his encounter with the burning bush, and his preparation for the Exodus mission. Jasher 76-77 describes Moses' arrival, his imprisonment by Reuel, and eventual integration into the household. The region is named after Midian, son of Abraham through Keturah, connecting Moses' exile to the broader Abrahamic family. It is in this wilderness that God appears in the burning bush and commissions the reluctant shepherd. Within the broader geographical and theological framework of these three ancient texts, Midian serves as more than a mere physical location - it functions as a site where divine purpose intersects with human history. The pseudepigraphal traditions preserved in Enoch, Jubilees, and Jasher provide perspectives on this place that illuminate its spiritual significance beyond what other ancient sources record. Each visit, encounter, or event that occurs here contributes to the larger pattern of covenant geography that these texts trace from the primordial garden through the patriarchal wanderings to the settlement of the promised land.

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Details

Region: Earth

Strongest connections in Ancient Text

The Book of Jasher 76 The Book of Jasher 79

Key Chapters

The Book of Jasher 76 Moses leaves Cush and goes to the Land of Midian. Reuel, taking him for a Refugee, keeps him in prison for Ten Years. Is fed by Zipporah, the Daughter... 11 min read The Book of Jasher 79 The Lord appears to Moses and commands him to go down to Egypt to Deliver Israel. Aaron meets him. Israel on hearing of his Mission greatly rejoices. ... 11 min read

Key Passages

Moses in Midian

The Book of Jasher 76:1-15

And Moses the son of Amram was still king in the land of Cush in those days, and he prospered in his kingdom, and he con...

A¹nd Moses the son of Amram was still king in the land of Cush in those days, and he prospered in his kingdom, and he conducted the government of the children of Cush in justice, in righteousness, and integrity.

² And all the children of Cush loved Moses all the days that he reigned over them, and all the inhabitants of the land of Cush were greatly afraid of him. ³ And in the fortieth year of the reign of Moses over Cush, Moses was sitting on the royal throne whilst Adoniah the queen was before him, and all the nobles were sitting around him. ⁴ And Adoniah the queen said before the king and the princes, What is this thing which you, the children of Cush, have done for this long time? ⁵ Surely you know that for forty years that this man has reigned over Cush he has not approached me, nor has he served the gods of the children of Cush. ⁶ Now therefore hear, O ye children of Cush, and let this man no more reign over you as he is not of our flesh. ⁷ Behold Menacrus my son is grown up, let him reign over you, for it is better for you to serve the son of your lord, than to serve a stranger, slave of the king of Egypt. ⁸ And all the people and nobles of the children of Cush heard the words which Adoniah the queen had spoken in their ears. ⁹ And all the people were preparing until the evening, and in the morning they rose up early and made Menacrus, son of Kikianus, king over them. ¹⁰ And all the children of Cush were afraid to stretch forth their hand against Moses, for the Lord was with Moses, and the children of Cush remembered the oath which they swore unto Moses, therefore they did no harm to him. ¹¹ But the children of Cush gave many presents to Moses, and sent him from them with great honor. ¹² So Moses went forth from the land of Cush, and went home and ceased to reign over Cush, and Moses was sixty-six years old when he went out of the land of Cush, for the thing was from the Lord, for the period had arrived which he had appointed in the days of old, to bring forth Israel from the affliction of the children of Ham. ¹³ So Moses went to Midian, for he was afraid to return to Egypt on account of Pharaoh, and he went and sat at a well of water in Midian. ¹⁴ And the seven daughters of Reuel the Midianite went out to feed their father's flock. ¹⁵ And they came to the well and drew water to water their father's flock.

Burning bush

The Book of Jasher 79:1-15

And in those days Moses was feeding the flock of Reuel the Midianite his father-in-law, beyond the wilderness of Sin, an...

A¹nd in those days Moses was feeding the flock of Reuel the Midianite his father-in-law, beyond the wilderness of Sin, and the stick which he took from his father-in-law was in his hand.

² And it came to pass one day that a kid of goats strayed from the flock, and Moses pursued it and it came to the mountain of God to Horeb. ³ And when he came to Horeb, the Lord appeared there unto him in the bush, and he found the bush burning with fire, but the fire had no power over the bush to consume it. ⁴ And Moses was greatly astonished at this sight, wherefore the bush was not consumed, and he approached to see this mighty thing, and the Lord called unto Moses out of the fire and commanded him to go down to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to send the children of Israel from his service. ⁵ And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, return to Egypt, for all those men who sought thy life are dead, and thou shalt speak unto Pharaoh to send forth the children of Israel from his land. ⁶ And the Lord showed him to do signs and wonders in Egypt before the eyes of Pharaoh and the eyes of his subjects, in order that they might believe that the Lord had sent him. ⁷ And Moses hearkened to all that the Lord had commanded him, and he returned to his father-in-law and told him the thing, and Reuel said to him, Go in peace. ⁸ And Moses rose up to go to Egypt, and he took his wife and sons with him, and he was at an inn in the road, and an angel of God came down, and sought an occasion against him. ⁹ And he wished to kill him on account of his first born son, because he had not circumcised him, and had transgressed the covenant which the Lord had made with Abraham. ¹⁰ For Moses had hearkened to the words of his father-in-law which he had spoken to him, not to circumcise his first born son, therefore he circumcised him not. ¹¹ And Zipporah saw the angel of the Lord seeking an occasion against Moses, and she knew that this thing was owing to his not having circumcised her son Gershom. ¹² And Zipporah hastened and took of the sharp rock stones that were there, and she circumcised her son, and delivered her husband and her son from the hand of the angel of the Lord. ¹³ And Aaron the son of Amram, the brother of Moses, was in Egypt walking at the river side on that day. ¹⁴ And the Lord appeared to him in that place, and he said to him, Go now toward Moses in the wilderness, and he went and met him in the mountain of God, and he kissed him. ¹⁵ And Aaron lifted up his eyes, and saw Zipporah the wife of Moses and her children, and he said unto Moses, Who are these unto thee?

Did You Know?

Named after Abraham's son through Keturah - making it part of the broader Abrahamic family.

Moses spends years imprisoned by Reuel before earning his trust and freedom.

The burning bush theophany occurs in Midian's wilderness, not in Egypt.

Midianite traders are the ones who buy Joseph from his brothers.

Jethro/Reuel serves as both priest and father-in-law to Moses.