מִדִּין
𐤌𐤃𐤉𐤍
Midin
H4081 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The name of a locality in the post-exilic period, identified as Middin. Though similar in form to 'Midian' (the territory and descendants of Abraham's son), this term in biblical usage refers specifically to a town located in the wilderness region of Judah, mentioned in the context of territorial boundaries. It is a proper noun denoting a geographical site, not a people or tribal group.
Semantic Range
name of a post-exilic locality in Judah; shares similar form with 'Midian' (territory and group descended from Abraham), but refers specifically to a distinct site listed among settlements in the Judean desert; not denoting a people group or tribe
Root / Etymology
The form מִדִּין (Middîyn) may reflect a variant spelling of מִדְיָן (Midyan, Midian), but its application in the biblical text is distinct. The connection to the root מדן or מדנ, if any, is uncertain; the name is best understood as a toponym whose deeper etymology remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִדִּין appears only in Nehemiah 11:28 as a locality among the settlements occupied by returning Judahites after the Babylonian exile. While its form resembles the much earlier term for 'Midian'—a region and group of peoples to the south and east of ancient Israel linked to Abraham's descendants (Gen 25:2)—the reference in Nehemiah is to a separate, local settlement in the Judean wilderness. Translations such as 'Middin' preserve the Hebrew toponym without interpreting it as connected to the Midianites. There is no evidence that the site had any direct relation to the Midianite people, and its inclusion in the post-exilic list reflects the realities of resettlement rather than connections to patriarchal genealogy. English translations often transliterate the name without further elaboration.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a variation for מִדְיָן; {Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants}; Middin.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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מדנ (m-d-n) — measure, judgment (uncertain in toponymic use)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4081-01 |
מִדִּ֖ין | midin | HNp |
Middin | Middin | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4081-01 |
Joshua 15:61 | מִדִּ֖ין | midin | HNp |
Middin | Middin |