How Far Is Midian From Egypt?
The Bible tells us that Moses ran away from Pharaoh and lived in Midian, where he sat down by a well. He also lived with his father-in-law Jethro who was a Midianite priest.
It took Moses about a week to walk from Egypt to Midian as the crow flew. However, he could have easily traveled at a much slower rate.
Distance
The ancient Land of Midian was located east of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was a region that had been settled by distant relatives of Abraham, who were referred to as the “land of Midian” (Genesis 25:6).
The Bible states that Abraham and Sarah had several sons, including one named Midian. These sons were sent east of Canaan to live away from their father.
It is possible that Midian was a place of refuge for Moses after Pharaoh killed him and fled from Egypt. The Bible says that he stayed in the Land of Midian for many years before moving to Canaan.
During this time, Jethro, a priest of Midian, became his master and father-in-law. The next mention of this tribe in the Bible was when Israel was encamped at Horeb, and Jethro came with his flock to see what God had done for them.
Time
The Bible tells us that Moses fled from Pharaoh to the Land of Midian and settled there. Scripture says he hid from the Egyptians and sat by a well (Ex 2:15; Ex 2:25; Acts 7:23).
The earliest reference to Midian appears in the Book of Numbers, where God calls it “the land of the children of Israel” (Numbers 3:1). This name was an Anglicization of the Hebrew word for “Moses,” which means “Lord is my helper” (Numbers 1:33).
In Exodus 2, the Bible says that Pharaoh ordered that Moses be killed, but when he heard of this, he fled into the Land of Midian to save his life. After this, Moses and his family lived in Midian for many years before their eventual journey to Canaan.
Route
Long-standing Jewish (and Christian) tradition holds that Mount Sinai was the mountain where Moses first saw God and where he gave the Ten Commandments. But there are some issues with this belief.
The first is that Mount Sinai was not in the Sinai Peninsula. It’s more likely that the mountains where Moses heard the voice of God were in modern-day Saudi Arabia and that Mount Sinai was on a peninsula that extended northwesterly into what is now the Gulf of Aqaba.
This is based on several factors, but one of the most compelling is the fact that if the Israelites were to travel from Egypt to Mount Sinai, they would have had to cross the Gulf of Aqaba.
That’s why the most popular theory posits that the Red Sea crossing took place in northwestern Saudi Arabia, in the region of Jebel Sin Bishar. That’s a much more realistic location for the crossing than the traditional theory of a Jabal al-Lawz/Maqla on the Sinai Peninsula, and it makes sense that it would have been near the Gulf of Aqaba.
Accommodation
Midian was a land of nomads in the northwest of the Arabian Desert. In the Patriarchal period and especially in the Exodus/Wilderness traditions, Midianites were associated with the Israelites. However, they also acted as partners with Moab in attacking Israel.
Midianites were a nomadic tribe similar to the Ishmaelites and related to the Kenites. They were probably located east of the Gulf of Aqaba and north of Mount Sinai in the region of modern Jordan.
In the Bible, the name Midian appears twice: once for Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and employer (Exodus 4:16; Judges 4:11) and again in Numbers 22 for Balaam. Balaam is portrayed as an evil prophet who sought to put a curse on Israel.
At the same time, some scholars have noted that the term “Midianites” does not appear to refer to a group of people. Instead, it may refer to a family that had recently been conquered.
Weather
The Land of Midian is one of the most significant places in the Bible. It was where Moses fled after killing an Egyptian (Exodus 2:15) and married Zipporah, the daughter of a priest of Midian. Today, the former territory of Midian is located in western Saudi Arabia, southern Jordan, southern Israel, and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula.
In the Hebrew Bible, Midian was a large territory that straddled the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The region was dotted with towns and settlements, but it was also a fairly desolate area.
There are several reasons why the Midian of the Bible isn’t as well understood as the other biblical peoples to the east and south of Egypt. Research on Midian is largely the domain of biblical scholars rather than archaeologists.
Activities
Midian is mentioned in the book of Exodus as the location of Moses’ 40-year exile from Egypt. During this time, Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of a priest named Jethro.
He tended his flocks in Midian and later visited the Mountain of God, now called Mount Sinai. This was where he encountered the burning bush and met Yahweh for the first time (Exodus 3:1).
Many classical and historical sources put Midian east of the Gulf of Aqaba in what is now the northwest part of Saudi Arabia. However, some argue it could include the southern part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Historically, the greater Midian region was divided into coastal sites at Maqna, Aynunah, and Ash-Sharma, as well as inland locations at Al-Bad’. These areas were linked by Arabian historical sources to the ancient Madyan people.
Transportation
The Bible tells us that Moses and Jethro were in Midian while they waited for Pharaoh to hear about the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. This would have happened sometime after the Israelites left Egypt and before they crossed the Red Sea.
But the Bible doesn’t mention how long it took for them to get to Midian, nor does it specify where they stayed once they got there. Instead, we’re told that they ate manna and quail until God gave them Land to settle on (Exodus 16:1-3).
However, the Bible does say that the Midianites were descended from Abraham and his wife, Keturah. They lived in territory east of the Promised Land and away from Canaan, which is what’s called the Sinai Peninsula today.
Food
The Midianite tribes were related to the Israelites and lived east of Mount Sinai, most likely in the northern part of the Arabian Desert. This would make them closer to the Gulf of Aqaba and Egypt than their counterparts west of Mount Elath.
The Midianites are mentioned in the Bible for the first time in Exodus when Moses flees from Pharaoh to live among them. Jethro, a Midianite priest, later becomes Moses’ father-in-law.
During his stay in Midian, Moses can learn about God from Jethro. It is here that he encounters Yahweh for the first time in a burning bush.
However, the Midianites later turned against Israel and were involved in the attacks on the Israelites during the Exodus. They even partnered with neighboring Moab in attacking Israel.
Climate
Midian was a region that encompassed the coastal strip of the Sinai Peninsula and parts of the Arabian Peninsula east of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is believed that this area was where Moses lived during his exile from Egypt, circa 1486-1446 BC (based on biblical chronology).
After fleeing the Egyptian capital, Moses tended the flocks of Jethro, the priest of Midian, before leading the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where God appeared to them in a burning bush. This was a significant event in the Bible, as it served as a sign that God had chosen Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and bring them to their new homeland.
Although research about the area is still largely a matter of biblical scholarship, archaeology is now being done in this region. A major book is Knauf 1988 (cited under Midian in the Hebrew Bible), and a more recent overview is Knauf 1989.
Safety
Midian is a large, arid area straddles the Gulf of Aqaba and borders Egypt. It is a popular tourist destination because of its natural beauty, but it also has a history that goes back hundreds of years.
In the Bible, Moses flees to Midian after killing an Egyptian official in anger. He later married one of his step brothers’ daughters and settled to live in exile there for fifty years.
This tribe of people, known as Midianites or Midianites, is descended from Abraham’s son, Midian (Genesis 25:6; Nu 10:29). They lived in a largely desert area south of the Dead Sea, with some oases nearby.
The Bible mentions the Midianites several times, including in Exodus 2:8-9. They were enemies of Israel, but God raised Gideon to overthrow their yoke (Judges 6:1).
Midian is an ancient land in the northwest Arabian Peninsula, known for its significance in the biblical stories of Moses and the Israelites. Egypt, on the other hand, is a country in northeast Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east. The distance between Midian and Egypt depends on the specific locations being considered, but it can be estimated based on historical and geographical information.
Midian is believed to have been located primarily in modern-day northwestern Saudi Arabia, near the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea. Some scholars also suggest that the Land of Midian may have extended into parts of present-day Jordan and Israel. Egypt, on the other hand, is located across the Gulf of Aqaba from Midian to the west of the Arabian Peninsula.
The distance between Midian and Egypt can be estimated using various methods, such as measuring the distance on a map or using GPS coordinates for specific locations. However, since Midian is an ancient land and its exact boundaries are unknown, it is difficult to provide a precise distance between the two regions.
Based on historical and archaeological evidence, it is known that the ancient Egyptians had contact with the people of Midian and even established trade routes with them. It is believed that the Egyptians traveled across the Red Sea to reach Midian, possibly using boats or caravans to transport goods.
The distance between Egypt and Midian would have varied depending on the specific locations being considered. For example, if one were to consider the distance between the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes (modern-day Luxor) and the region of Midian near the Gulf of Aqaba, the distance would have been around 300-400 miles. This distance would have been covered by traveling across the Red Sea and then crossing the desert terrain of the Arabian Peninsula.
Another possible route would have been to travel along the coast of the Red Sea, which would have been longer but potentially safer and more accessible. This route would have covered around 600-700 miles, depending on the specific locations being considered.
In conclusion, the distance between Midian and Egypt depends on the specific locations being considered. It is difficult to provide precision due to the ancient nature of Midian and its unclear boundaries. However, based on historical and archaeological evidence, it is believed that the distance between these regions would have been several hundred miles and required crossing the Red Sea and/or traveling through the desert terrain of the Arabian Peninsula.
FAQ’s
How Far Is Midian From Egypt?
The Bible tells us that Moses ran away from Pharaoh and lived in Midian, where he sat down by a well. He also lived with his father-in-law Jethro who was a Midianite priest.
It took Moses about a week to walk from Egypt to Midian as the crow flew. However, he could have easily traveled at a much slower rate.
Distance
The ancient Land of Midian was located east of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was a region that had been settled by distant relatives of Abraham, who were referred to as the “land of Midian” (Genesis 25:6).
The Bible states that Abraham and Sarah had several sons, including one named Midian. These sons were sent east of Canaan to live away from their father.
It is possible that Midian was a place of refuge for Moses after Pharaoh killed him and fled from Egypt. The Bible says that he stayed in the Land of Midian for many years before moving to Canaan.
During this time, Jethro, a priest of Midian, became his master and father-in-law. The next mention of this tribe in the Bible was when Israel was encamped at Horeb, and Jethro came with his flock to see what God had done for them.
Time
The Bible tells us that Moses fled from Pharaoh to the Land of Midian and settled there. Scripture says he hid from the Egyptians and sat by a well (Ex 2:15; Ex 2:25; Acts 7:23).
The earliest reference to Midian appears in the Book of Numbers, where God calls it “the land of the children of Israel” (Numbers 3:1). This name was an Anglicization of the Hebrew word for “Moses,” which means “Lord is my helper” (Numbers 1:33).
In Exodus 2, the Bible says that Pharaoh ordered that Moses be killed, but when he heard of this, he fled into the Land of Midian to save his life. After this, Moses and his family lived in Midian for many years before their eventual journey to Canaan.
Route
Long-standing Jewish (and Christian) tradition holds that Mount Sinai was the mountain where Moses first saw God and where he gave the Ten Commandments. But there are some issues with this belief.
The first is that Mount Sinai was not in the Sinai Peninsula. It’s more likely that the mountains where Moses heard the voice of God were in modern-day Saudi Arabia and that Mount Sinai was on a peninsula that extended northwesterly into what is now the Gulf of Aqaba.
This is based on several factors, but one of the most compelling is the fact that if the Israelites were to travel from Egypt to Mount Sinai, they would have had to cross the Gulf of Aqaba.
That’s why the most popular theory posits that the Red Sea crossing took place in northwestern Saudi Arabia, in the region of Jebel Sin Bishar. That’s a much more realistic location for the crossing than the traditional theory of a Jabal al-Lawz/Maqla on the Sinai Peninsula, and it makes sense that it would have been near the Gulf of Aqaba.
Accommodation
Midian was a land of nomads in the northwest of the Arabian Desert. In the Patriarchal period and especially in the Exodus/Wilderness traditions, Midianites were associated with the Israelites. However, they also acted as partners with Moab in attacking Israel.
Midianites were a nomadic tribe similar to the Ishmaelites and related to the Kenites. They were probably located east of the Gulf of Aqaba and north of Mount Sinai in the region of modern Jordan.
In the Bible, the name Midian appears twice: once for Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and employer (Exodus 4:16; Judges 4:11) and again in Numbers 22 for Balaam. Balaam is portrayed as an evil prophet who sought to put a curse on Israel.
At the same time, some scholars have noted that the term “Midianites” does not appear to refer to a group of people. Instead, it may refer to a family that had recently been conquered.
Weather
The Land of Midian is one of the most significant places in the Bible. It was where Moses fled after killing an Egyptian (Exodus 2:15) and married Zipporah, the daughter of a priest of Midian. Today, the former territory of Midian is located in western Saudi Arabia, southern Jordan, southern Israel, and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula.
In the Hebrew Bible, Midian was a large territory that straddled the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The region was dotted with towns and settlements, but it was also a fairly desolate area.
There are several reasons why the Midian of the Bible isn’t as well understood as the other biblical peoples to the east and south of Egypt. Research on Midian is largely the domain of biblical scholars rather than archaeologists.
Activities
Midian is mentioned in the book of Exodus as the location of Moses’ 40-year exile from Egypt. During this time, Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of a priest named Jethro.
He tended his flocks in Midian and later visited the Mountain of God, now called Mount Sinai. This was where he encountered the burning bush and met Yahweh for the first time (Exodus 3:1).
Many classical and historical sources put Midian east of the Gulf of Aqaba in what is now the northwest part of Saudi Arabia. However, some argue it could include the southern part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Historically, the greater Midian region was divided into coastal sites at Maqna, Aynunah, and Ash-Sharma, as well as inland locations at Al-Bad’. These areas were linked by Arabian historical sources to the ancient Madyan people.
Transportation
The Bible tells us that Moses and Jethro were in Midian while they waited for Pharaoh to hear about the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. This would have happened sometime after the Israelites left Egypt and before they crossed the Red Sea.
But the Bible doesn’t mention how long it took for them to get to Midian, nor does it specify where they stayed once they got there. Instead, we’re told that they ate manna and quail until God gave them Land to settle on (Exodus 16:1-3).
However, the Bible does say that the Midianites were descended from Abraham and his wife, Keturah. They lived in territory east of the Promised Land and away from Canaan, which is what’s called the Sinai Peninsula today.
Food
The Midianite tribes were related to the Israelites and lived east of Mount Sinai, most likely in the northern part of the Arabian Desert. This would make them closer to the Gulf of Aqaba and Egypt than their counterparts west of Mount Elath.
The Midianites are mentioned in the Bible for the first time in Exodus when Moses flees from Pharaoh to live among them. Jethro, a Midianite priest, later becomes Moses’ father-in-law.
During his stay in Midian, Moses can learn about God from Jethro. It is here that he encounters Yahweh for the first time in a burning bush.
However, the Midianites later turned against Israel and were involved in the attacks on the Israelites during the Exodus. They even partnered with neighboring Moab in attacking Israel.
Climate
Midian was a region that encompassed the coastal strip of the Sinai Peninsula and parts of the Arabian Peninsula east of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is believed that this area was where Moses lived during his exile from Egypt, circa 1486-1446 BC (based on biblical chronology).
After fleeing the Egyptian capital, Moses tended the flocks of Jethro, the priest of Midian, before leading the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where God appeared to them in a burning bush. This was a significant event in the Bible, as it served as a sign that God had chosen Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and bring them to their new homeland.
Although research about the area is still largely a matter of biblical scholarship, archaeology is now being done in this region. A major book is Knauf 1988 (cited under Midian in the Hebrew Bible), and a more recent overview is Knauf 1989.
Safety
Midian is a large, arid area straddles the Gulf of Aqaba and borders Egypt. It is a popular tourist destination because of its natural beauty, but it also has a history that goes back hundreds of years.
In the Bible, Moses flees to Midian after killing an Egyptian official in anger. He later married one of his step brothers’ daughters and settled to live in exile there for fifty years.
This tribe of people, known as Midianites or Midianites, is descended from Abraham’s son, Midian (Genesis 25:6; Nu 10:29). They lived in a largely desert area south of the Dead Sea, with some oases nearby.
The Bible mentions the Midianites several times, including in Exodus 2:8-9. They were enemies of Israel, but God raised Gideon to overthrow their yoke (Judges 6:1).
Midian is an ancient land in the northwest Arabian Peninsula, known for its significance in the biblical stories of Moses and the Israelites. Egypt, on the other hand, is a country in northeast Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east. The distance between Midian and Egypt depends on the specific locations being considered, but it can be estimated based on historical and geographical information.
Midian is believed to have been located primarily in modern-day northwestern Saudi Arabia, near the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea. Some scholars also suggest that the Land of Midian may have extended into parts of present-day Jordan and Israel. Egypt, on the other hand, is located across the Gulf of Aqaba from Midian to the west of the Arabian Peninsula.
The distance between Midian and Egypt can be estimated using various methods, such as measuring the distance on a map or using GPS coordinates for specific locations. However, since Midian is an ancient land and its exact boundaries are unknown, it is difficult to provide a precise distance between the two regions.
Based on historical and archaeological evidence, it is known that the ancient Egyptians had contact with the people of Midian and even established trade routes with them. It is believed that the Egyptians traveled across the Red Sea to reach Midian, possibly using boats or caravans to transport goods.
The distance between Egypt and Midian would have varied depending on the specific locations being considered. For example, if one were to consider the distance between the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes (modern-day Luxor) and the region of Midian near the Gulf of Aqaba, the distance would have been around 300-400 miles. This distance would have been covered by traveling across the Red Sea and then crossing the desert terrain of the Arabian Peninsula.
Another possible route would have been to travel along the coast of the Red Sea, which would have been longer but potentially safer and more accessible. This route would have covered around 600-700 miles, depending on the specific locations being considered.
In conclusion, the distance between Midian and Egypt depends on the specific locations being considered. It is difficult to provide precision due to the ancient nature of Midian and its unclear boundaries. However, based on historical and archaeological evidence, it is believed that the distance between these regions would have been several hundred miles and required crossing the Red Sea and/or traveling through the desert terrain of the Arabian Peninsula.
