parshat Balak/Pinchas/Matos: Midianites or Moabites?

At the tail end of Balak, it is the daughters of Moav who entice the Israelites to sin: Bemidbar 25:1-3:

א וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּשִּׁטִּים; וַיָּחֶל הָעָם, לִזְנוֹת אֶל-בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב.	1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab.
ב וַתִּקְרֶאןָ לָעָם, לְזִבְחֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶן; וַיֹּאכַל הָעָם, וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶן.	2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
ג וַיִּצָּמֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר; וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.	3 And Israel joined himself unto the Baal of Peor; and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

Yet the one woman mentioned by name is Kozbi bat Tzur, of the Midianites. In Bemidbar 25:6:

ה וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-שֹׁפְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: הִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֲנָשָׁיו, הַנִּצְמָדִים לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר.	5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel: 'Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto the Baal of Peor.'
ו וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא, וַיַּקְרֵב אֶל-אֶחָיו אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִית, לְעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה, וּלְעֵינֵי כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְהֵמָּה בֹכִים, פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.	6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.

and in parshat Pinchas, in Bemidbar 25:14-15:

יד וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֻּכֶּה, אֲשֶׁר הֻכָּה אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִית--זִמְרִי, בֶּן-סָלוּא: נְשִׂיא בֵית-אָב, לַשִּׁמְעֹנִי.	14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites.
טו וְשֵׁם הָאִשָּׁה הַמֻּכָּה הַמִּדְיָנִית, כָּזְבִּי בַת-צוּר: רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת בֵּית-אָב בְּמִדְיָן, הוּא	15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midian.

and immediately after, the Midianites are blamed for Baal Peor and for the harlotry. In Bemidbar 25:16-18:

טז וַיְדַבֵּר ה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.	16 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
יז צָרוֹר, אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִים; וְהִכִּיתֶם, אוֹתָם.	17 'Harass the Midianites, and smite them;
יח כִּי צֹרְרִים הֵם לָכֶם, בְּנִכְלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר-נִכְּלוּ לָכֶם עַל-דְּבַר-פְּעוֹר; וְעַל-דְּבַר כָּזְבִּי בַת-נְשִׂיא מִדְיָן, אֲחֹתָם, הַמֻּכָּה בְיוֹם-הַמַּגֵּפָה, עַל-דְּבַר-פְּעוֹר.	18 for they harass you, by their wiles wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.'

Indeed, the battle in this week's parsha, Matot, against the Midianites, is the revenge spoken about in the aforementioned pesukim. Pinchas is even appointed to lead them. In Bemidbar 31:

א וַיְדַבֵּר ה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.	1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
ב נְקֹם, נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֵת, הַמִּדְיָנִים; אַחַר, תֵּאָסֵף אֶל-עַמֶּיךָ.	2 'Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.'
ג וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם לֵאמֹר, הֵחָלְצוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם אֲנָשִׁים לַצָּבָא; וְיִהְיוּ, עַל-מִדְיָן, לָתֵת נִקְמַת-ה, בְּמִדְיָן.	3 And Moses spoke unto the people, saying: 'Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD'S vengeance on Midian.
ד אֶלֶף, לַמַּטֶּה, אֶלֶף, לַמַּטֶּה--לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, תִּשְׁלְחוּ לַצָּבָא.	4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.'
ה וַיִּמָּסְרוּ מֵאַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה--שְׁנֵים-עָשָׂר אֶלֶף, חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא.	5 So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
ו וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה, לַצָּבָא: אֹתָם וְאֶת-פִּינְחָס בֶּן-אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן, לַצָּבָא, וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַחֲצֹצְרוֹת הַתְּרוּעָה, בְּיָדוֹ.	6 And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
ז וַיִּצְבְּאוּ, עַל-מִדְיָן, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה, אֶת-מֹשֶׁה; וַיַּהַרְגוּ, כָּל-זָכָר.	7 And they warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew every male.
ח וְאֶת-מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן הָרְגוּ עַל-חַלְלֵיהֶם, אֶת-אֱוִי וְאֶת-רֶקֶם וְאֶת-צוּר וְאֶת-חוּר וְאֶת-רֶבַע--חֲמֵשֶׁת, מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן; וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן-בְּעוֹר, הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב.	8 And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

and when they spare the women, Moshe is upset, for they were the very cause of the trouble.

ט וַיִּשְׁבּוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-נְשֵׁי מִדְיָן, וְאֶת-טַפָּם; וְאֵת כָּל-בְּהֶמְתָּם וְאֶת-כָּל-מִקְנֵהֶם וְאֶת-כָּל-חֵילָם, בָּזָזוּ.	9 And the children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.
י וְאֵת כָּל-עָרֵיהֶם בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם, וְאֵת כָּל-טִירֹתָם--שָׂרְפוּ, בָּאֵשׁ.	10 And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.

...

יד וַיִּקְצֹף מֹשֶׁה, עַל פְּקוּדֵי הֶחָיִל, שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת, הַבָּאִים מִצְּבָא הַמִּלְחָמָה.	14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war.
טו וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם, מֹשֶׁה: הַחִיִּיתֶם, כָּל-נְקֵבָה.	15 And Moses said unto them: 'Have ye saved all the women alive?
טז הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם, לִמְסָר-מַעַל בַּה, עַל-דְּבַר-פְּעוֹר; וַתְּהִי הַמַּגֵּפָה, בַּעֲדַת ה	16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt so as to break faith with the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.

How did we get from the daughters of Moav to the daughters of Midian?

One possibility is that both Midian and Moav were involved, but so long as Moav took no physical belligerent step, they were immune from attack. After all, we read in Devarim 2:8-11:

ח וַנַּעֲבֹר מֵאֵת אַחֵינוּ בְנֵי-עֵשָׂו, הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר, מִדֶּרֶךְ הָעֲרָבָה, מֵאֵילַת וּמֵעֶצְיֹן גָּבֶר; {ס} וַנֵּפֶן, וַנַּעֲבֹר, דֶּרֶךְ, מִדְבַּר מוֹאָב.	8 So we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah, from Elath and from Ezion-geber. {S} And we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
ט וַיֹּאמֶר ה אֵלַי, אַל-תָּצַר אֶת-מוֹאָב, וְאַל-תִּתְגָּר בָּם, מִלְחָמָה: כִּי לֹא-אֶתֵּן לְךָ מֵאַרְצוֹ, יְרֻשָּׁה--כִּי לִבְנֵי-לוֹט, נָתַתִּי אֶת-עָר יְרֻשָּׁה.	9 And the LORD said unto me: 'Be not at enmity with Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give thee of his land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.--
י הָאֵמִים לְפָנִים, יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ--עַם גָּדוֹל וְרַב וָרָם, כָּעֲנָקִים.	10 The Emim dwelt therein aforetime, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim;
יא רְפָאִים יֵחָשְׁבוּ אַף-הֵם, כָּעֲנָקִים; וְהַמֹּאָבִים, יִקְרְאוּ לָהֶם אֵמִים.	11 these also are accounted Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim.

We know that both Moav and Midian were involved in consulting Bilaam in the previous episode with Balak. The pesukim in parshat Matot (just referred to above) note that Bilaam was killed among the Midianites (Bemidbar 31:8), and that this enticement was at the advice of Bilaam ben Beor (Bemidbar 31:16).

Earlier, in parshat Balak, we see the Midianites involved in the consulting of Bilaam, and that they were among the princes sent to Bilaam. In Bemidbar 22:4:

ג וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב מִפְּנֵי הָעָם, מְאֹד--כִּי רַב-הוּא; וַיָּקָץ מוֹאָב, מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.	3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was overcome with dread because of the children of Israel.
ד וַיֹּאמֶר מוֹאָב אֶל-זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן, עַתָּה יְלַחֲכוּ הַקָּהָל אֶת-כָּל-סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ, כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר, אֵת יֶרֶק הַשָּׂדֶה; וּבָלָק בֶּן-צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב, בָּעֵת הַהִוא.	4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian: 'Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.'--And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.--

and

ז וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי מוֹאָב, וְזִקְנֵי מִדְיָן, וּקְסָמִים, בְּיָדָם; וַיָּבֹאוּ, אֶל-בִּלְעָם, וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו, דִּבְרֵי בָלָק.	7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spoke unto him the words of Balak.
ח וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם, לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה, וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי אֶתְכֶם דָּבָר, כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר ה אֵלָי; וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי-מוֹאָב, עִם-בִּלְעָם.	8 And he said unto them: 'Lodge here this night, and I will bring you back word, as the LORD may speak unto me'; and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

Documentary Hypothesists believe that the references to elders and princes of Midian in parshat Balak was the work of a redactor (and might point out the lack of the princes of Midian in pasuk 8), and say similar things about Midian mentioned in the Shittim/Pinchas story. It is a convenient method of eliminating contradictions - simply moving the inconvienient fact to a different author - but I will not take this path here.

I do not know what the political situation situation was on the ground with regard to Midian and Moav, but from parshat Balak, it seems the rulers had some connection. We know they contended earlier. In the lists of Edomite kings, we read:

לד וַיָּמָת, יוֹבָב; וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו, חֻשָׁם מֵאֶרֶץ הַתֵּימָנִי.	34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
לה וַיָּמָת, חֻשָׁם; וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו הֲדַד בֶּן-בְּדַד, הַמַּכֶּה אֶת-מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב, וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ, עֲוִית.	35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Avith.

Was Hadad ben Bedad an Edomite? He is listed as an Edomite king, but Rashi cites a Midrash that appears to take him as a Moabite. In parshat Balak, Rashi cites a midrash about Moav consulting Midian:

to the elders of Midian But did they not always hate each other, as it says, “who defeated Midian in the field of Moab” (Gen. 36:35), when Midian came against Moab in battle? However, because of their mutual fear of Israel they made peace with each other. And what did Moab see to take counsel with Midian? Since they saw that Israel was supernaturally victorious [in their battles], they said, “The leader of these [people] was raised in Midian. Let us ask them what his character is.” They told them, “His strength is solely in his mouth.” They said,“We too will come against them with a man whose strength is in his mouth.” - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 3, Num. Rabbah 20:4]

According to this, Moav fought at times with Midian, but here made peace. Alternatively, this is Edom fighting Midian, in the plains of Moav. This would mean that Midian rules over some Moabite territory - the field of Moav. This would make sense, as we see that these countries wages wars against each other, taking over territory. Thus, for example, the land of Sichon had been taken over from the children of Ammon, as discussed previously.

Thus, we might expect there to be Moabite women and Midianite women living in close proximity. Indeed, there might be Moabite commoners and Midianite nobles living in this land. We would expect commoners to go with commoners, and Israelite nobles, such as Zimri ben Salu, to take noble women. Indeed, this is part of the import of the giving of the lineage of both Zimri and Kozbi. Bemidbar 25:14-15:

יד וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֻּכֶּה, אֲשֶׁר הֻכָּה אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִית--זִמְרִי, בֶּן-סָלוּא: נְשִׂיא בֵית-אָב, לַשִּׁמְעֹנִי.	14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites.
טו וְשֵׁם הָאִשָּׁה הַמֻּכָּה הַמִּדְיָנִית, כָּזְבִּי בַת-צוּר: רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת בֵּית-אָב בְּמִדְיָן, הוּא	15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midian.

I would note that Balak himself is taken by a midrash to be a Midianite noble, which is why he consulted with the Midianite elders. On the pasuk:

ד וַיֹּאמֶר מוֹאָב אֶל-זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן, עַתָּה יְלַחֲכוּ הַקָּהָל אֶת-כָּל-סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ, כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר, אֵת יֶרֶק הַשָּׂדֶה; וּבָלָק בֶּן-צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב, בָּעֵת הַהִוא.

4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian: 'Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.'--And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.--

Rashi cites this midrash:

at that time He was not entitled to the monarchy. He was one of the Midianite nobles [according to some: of the nobles of Sihon (Josh. 13:21)], and when Sihon died, they appointed him over them on a temporary basis. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 4, Num. Rabbah 20:4]

the Midrash is picking up on the strange phrase that he was king of Moav at that time. On a pshat level it is just identifying the king of Moav during this episode, but the Midrash takes this as an asterisk on Balak's record.

If Midianites and Moabites were having their their daughters do this, but the location was initially that of Moav, or the commoners were Moabites, or the majority of participants were Moabites, or it was a Moabite area ruled by nobles from Midian, then we can see why the pasuk initially describes the enticers as the daughters of Moav.