Numbers 25 · a question people ask
Wasn't Moses' own family Midianite?
His wife's family was. Moses had "lived in the land of Midian" (Exodus 2:15), where "the priest of Midian had seven daughters" (Exodus 2:16), and "He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter" (Exodus 2:21). Moses kept the flock of "Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian" (Exodus 3:1), and he had asked "Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite" to travel with Israel (10:29). The command here gives its own reason: "for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi" (25:18). Midian was already part of the story: Moab spoke "to the elders of Midian" (22:4), and "The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian" went to Balaam (22:7). Numbers later says the women of Midian (31:9, 31:15) caused Israel "to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor", and that it was "through the counsel of Balaam" (31:16). Numbers says nothing here about Moses' own family; the reason it gives for the command is the one in 25:18.
The verses
“Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.”
“Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter.”
“Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.”
“Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well; for the LORD has spoken good concerning Israel.””