Jethro (biblical figure)
Moses's father-in-law, a Kenite priest of Midian, revered in Druze tradition as the prophet Shuaib.
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Jethro was Moses's father-in-law, a Kenite shepherd and priest of Midian, sometimes called Reuel (or Raguel). In the Hebrew Bible, he is initially referred to as Reuel (Exodus 2:18) but afterwards as Jethro (Exodus 3:1). He was also identified as the father of Hobab in Numbers 10:29, though Judges 4:11 identifies him as Hobab.
Jethro lived in Midian, a territory stretching along the eastern edge of the Gulf of Aqaba in northwestern Arabia, though some believe Midian lies within the Sinai Peninsula. After Moses fled Egypt for killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave, he settled in Midian and intervened in a water-access dispute between Jethro’s seven daughters and local shepherds. Jethro invited Moses into his home and offered hospitality, and Moses later married Jethro’s daughter Zipporah.
Moses worked as a shepherd for Jethro for 40 years before returning to Egypt to lead the Israelites to Canaan. After the Battle at Rephidim against the Amalekites, Jethro heard of the Israelites’ deliverance and met Moses in the wilderness at the “Mountain of God.” Moses recounted all that had happened, and Jethro rejoiced, offering a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Following this, Jethro advised Moses to appoint capable men to help judge smaller matters, easing the burden of leadership. In Jewish tradition, the father-in-law of Moses was believed to have seven names, including Reuel, Jether, Jethro, Hobab, Heber, Keni, and Putiel.
Some modern scholars view “Jethro” as a title meaning “His Excellency,” with “Reuel” as his personal name. In the Druze religion, Jethro is identified with the prophet Shuaib, considered the most important prophet and the ancestor of all Druze. The Druze hold an annual pilgrimage on April 25 to Nabi Shu’ayb in Hittin, Lower Galilee, the holiest Druze shrine, to commemorate his death with singing, dancing, and feasting.
Lore & Background
In Exodus, Jethro is called a priest of Midian and became father-in-law of Moses after giving his daughter Zipporah in marriage. He lived in Midian, a territory stretching along the eastern edge of the Gulf of Aqaba, northwestern Arabia (some believe Midian is within the Sinai Peninsula). Moses worked as a shepherd for Jethro for 40 years before returning to Egypt. After the Battle at Rephidim, Jethro met Moses at the 'Mountain of God,' and Moses recounted all that had taken place.
Jethro then encouraged Moses to appoint fellows to share the burden of judging smaller matters. There is disagreement over the name(s) of Moses's father-in-law: he is called Reuel (or Raguel) in Exodus 2:18, Jethro in Exodus 3:1, and both Jether and Jethro in Exodus 4:18. In Numbers 10:29, a man named Hobab appears as Moses's father-in-law, while Judges 4:11 calls Hobab 'the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses's father in law.' In Jewish tradition, these discrepancies were explained by the belief that the father-in-law had seven names: Reuel, Jether, Jethro, Hobab, Heber, Keni, and Putiel. According to some modern scholars, 'Jethro' was a title meaning 'His Excellency,' and 'Reuel' was his personal given name.
Reader's Guide
Druze identify Jethro with the prophet Shuaib, also said to come from Midian. For the Druze, Shuaib is considered the most important prophet and the ancestor of all Druze. Nabi Shuʿayb, located at Hittin in the Lower Galilee, is recognized by Druze as the tomb of Shuʿayb and is the holiest shrine and most important pilgrimage site for the Druze. Each year on 25 April, the Druze gather there for Ziyarat al-Nabi Shuʿayb to discuss community affairs and commemorate the anniversary of Jethro's death with singing, dancing and feasting.
Another Druze shrine in Ein Qiniyye is the supposed burial place of Jethro's sister, Sit Shahwana. Jethro is revered as the chief prophet in the Druze religion; they believe he was a 'hidden' and 'true prophet' who communicated directly with God and passed that knowledge to Moses, whom they describe as a 'recognised' and 'revealed prophet.' According to Druze belief, Moses was allowed to wed Zipporah after helping save Jethro's daughters and their flock from competing herdsmen. Jethro is also considered an ancestor of the Druze; this view has been used to represent an element of the special relationship between Israeli Jews and Druze. The Israeli Druze also have a folktale called 'Jethro's revenge on the [Sunni Muslim] inhabitants of the village of Hittin.'
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jethro's role in the Exodus narrative?
After the Israelites left Egypt, Jethro came to the camp and presented sacrifices to God, effectively acknowledging the deity Moses served. He then gave Moses practical administrative advice, recommending that he appoint subordinate judges to share the burden of deciding disputes among the people.
Are Jethro, Reuel, and Hobab the same person?
The biblical text leaves this genuinely unresolved: Reuel (or Raguel) may simply be an alternate name for Jethro or possibly his father, while Hobab is called Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29 but appears as a distinct figure in Judges 4:11. Most readers treat these as unresolved textual inconsistencies rather than confirmed identifications.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Jethro (biblical figure) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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