The BibleGospel Companion

Jethro

יִתְרוֹ · yit.ro · H3503יֶ֫תֶר · ye.ter · H3500L2 other spellings“his excellence; his posterity” Hitchcock's 186911 mentions in 2 books, most in Exodus (10)

Who he was

Jethro, also referred to as Reuel, was Moses' father-in-law and a priest of Midian. He is first mentioned in Exodus 2:18, where his daughters tell him about Moses defending them at a well. Later, in Exodus 3:1, Moses is described as tending Jethro's flock when he encounters the burning bush.

After the Exodus, Jethro visits Moses in the wilderness, bringing along Moses' wife Zipporah and their two sons (Exodus 18:1–6). Jethro praises God for the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 18:9–10) and offers sacrifices to God (Exodus 18:12).

Observing Moses' heavy workload in judging the people, Jethro advises him to appoint capable men to share the burden (Exodus 18:13–23). Moses follows this advice and bids farewell to Jethro, who returns to his own land (Exodus 18:24–27). In Numbers 10:29, Moses invites Hobab, identified as Reuel's son, to join the Israelites on their journey, suggesting a continued relationship between Moses and Jethro's family.

Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

Family

ChildrenZipporah, Hobab
Family relations: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

Every mention

11 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
ExodusChapter 2: 1 mentionChapter 3: 1 mentionChapter 4: 1 mentionChapter 18: 7 mentions10 mentions
Exodus 2:18When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”Exodus 3:1Now 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.Exodus 4:18Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” Jethro said to…Exodus 18:1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.Exodus 18:2Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,Exodus 18:5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.Exodus 18:6He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”Exodus 18:9Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.Exodus 18:10Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.Exodus 18:12Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
NumbersChapter 10: 1 mention1 mention
Numbers 10:29Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place of which Yahweh said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat…

What the dictionary says

His excellence, or gain, a prince or priest of Midian, who succeeded his father Reuel.

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
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Sources