במדבר, פרק ל״א, פסוק ל״ג

The count of the war spoils captured from Midian reveals a huge amount of property, including an enormous herd of seventy-two thousand cattle. Yet, as detailed as this inventory is, there is a striking absence. Camels are completely missing from the list. This missing detail is surprising because later historical accounts, specifically during the time of Gideon, describe the Midianites as having a countless number of camels.

To explain this difference, it becomes clear that during this earlier period, the Midianite people simply did not own camels yet. These animals were introduced to their region only at a later stage in history [דעת זקנים].