Μαδιάν
Madián
G3099 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating 'Midian' or 'Madian,' a geographic region or territory located in northwestern Arabia, and by extension, the people or descendants associated with this territory. In Greek sources, primarily used to refer to the region, its inhabitants, or related historical figures (such as Moses' father-in-law). The term is used exclusively as a place name and ethnonym, referring to the land or nation contiguous to the northwestern Arabian Peninsula, east of the Gulf of Aqaba.
Semantic Range
a) the territory/region called Midian in northwestern Arabia, b) the inhabitants or descendants of Midian, c) by extension, members of the group associated with Midian in biblical narratives
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew מִדְיָן (Midyan), designating both the territory and descendants of Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah (Genesis 25:2). The Greek Μαδιάν reflects the transliteration of the Hebrew, with no further internal Greek derivation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Μαδιάν is used in the Greek Septuagint as the standard transliteration for the Hebrew place name מִדְיָן (Midyan), preserving its consonantal structure. In the New Testament, it appears in Acts 7:29, where it refers to the place where Moses resided after fleeing Egypt. The term is not used in a religious or ethnic sense distinct from its Hebrew context; it refers primarily to the territory and its people. Greek and Roman authors outside the biblical tradition more often called the region 'Madiane' or used other names for northwest Arabia. In English Bible translations, the term is usually rendered 'Midian,' following the Hebrew. Μαδιάν is used identically in the Septuagint and the New Testament, often in historical or genealogical recountings. The word is not a common noun and should not be translated generically, but treated as a specific toponym and ethnonym.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (מִדְיָן); Madian (i.e. Midian), a region of Arabia:--Madian.
Root Family
Μαδιάν (Madian) — region, people of Midian
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3099-01 |
Μαδιάμ | madiam | N GEN M SG |
of Midian | of Midian | Madian | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3099-01 |
Acts 7:29 | Μαδιάμ | madiam | N GEN M SG |
of Midian | of Midian | Madian |