THE CAMELS OF THE MAGI WOULD COME FROM MIDIAM IN ARABIA

THE CAMELS OF THE MAGI WOULD COME FROM MIDIAM IN ARABIA

Most scholars agree in identifying the archaeological site of Al Bad, in northern Saudi Arabia, as the ancient Midian, mentioned several times in sacred texts and by classical authors such as Flavius Josephus, Ptolemy, and Eusebius. Al-Bad represents one of the largest Nabatean cities in northwest Arabia. This city controlled the only access to Aqaba and Jordan-Palestine from the major ports on the eastern coast of the Red Sea.

The land of Midian and Ephah in Arabia was known for its numerous camels and dromedaries, which were also present in the land of Israel, as indicated in the Book of Judges (6:5) of the Old Testament. The camels of the Magi would come from Midian, according to the interpretation of the prophecy of Isaiah made by Christians: ‘The treasures of the nations shall come to you. Multitudes of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come, bringing gold and incense…’ (Isaiah 60:5-6). Thus, the medieval Irish manuscript Leabhar Breac from the 15th c. named the horses of the Magi Midian and Ephah, based on the writings of the Old Testament.