v. Hobab Exo 3:1; 4:18
Jethro (Heb. Yíthrô, “excellence”). Priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses (Exo 3:1), also called Reuel* and Raguel.* Based on the meaning of these 2 names, it is thought that Reuel would be his personal name, received on the occasion of his birth, and Jethro a title honorific -denoting “Excellence” and equivalent to the Arabic “lmán”- who received him as a tribal priest. In Jdg 4:11 Moses calls Hobab “father-in-law”.* However, it should be read “brother-in-law”, in harmony with other passages (Exo 18:27; Num 10:29-32; Jdg 1:16; :11; 1Sa 15:6). or, according to other scholars, jôtên (“brother-in-law”) would also mean “in-law” or “one who makes an alliance”. He had 7 daughters, who took care of his flocks. When Moses fled from Egypt and came to the region of Midian where Jethro lived, he helped his daughters water their animals, and then he was introduced to their father. Then Jethro gave Moses one of his daughters as a wife: Zipporah (vs 15-21). Moses worked for Jethro as a shepherd for about 40 years (Exo 3:1; Act 7:30). After his divine call to return to Egypt to lead the people out of it, Moses began the journey with his wife and his 2 sons (Exo 4:20), but later sent them back to Egypt. father-in-law of him. After the exodus, Jethro brought Zipporah and her children to Moses in the desert. There he saw that Moses was continually busy solving trivial matters for which he had no administrative or judicial help, so he advised him to choose helpers for that work (18:1-27).
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
priest of Midian, father of seven daughters, one of whom, called Zipporah, took Moses as his wife, when he fled from Egypt after having killed a man from this country, Ex 2, 16-22. J. went to visit Moses in the desert, who was camping next to the mountain of God, after leaving Egypt, where they offered burnt offerings to God for having freed the Israelites from Pharaoh, Ex 18, 1-12. J., Moses’ father-in-law, advised the latter to appoint judges and decentralize the administration of justice, to choose God-fearing, honest and incorruptible men from among the people, whom he should instruct about the precepts and laws, and that Moses take charge of serious matters, Ex 18, 13-27. J. appears as Reuel, in Ex 2, 18.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(Heb., yithro, excellency). A priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses (Exo 3:1). It seems that Reuel, which means † œfriend of God†, was his proper name (Exo 2:18; Exo 3: 1) and Jethro was his honorary title.
When Moses fled from Egypt to Midian, he was well received in the house of Jethro for his chivalry shown towards the seven daughters of this priest and whom he helped to water their flocks. Moses married Zipporah and took care of her father-in-law’s flocks for about 40 years (Exo 3: 1-2).
After God commanded Moses to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery, Jethro gave him permission to go. Moses took his wife Zipporah and her two sons with him (Exo 4:18-20), but later sent them back to stay with Jethro temporarily.
After the liberation from Egypt, before the Israelites reached Mount Sinai, Jethro went to visit Moses and returned his daughter to him along with her two sons (Exo 18:1-7). Jethro suggested to Moses that he appoint different judges at various levels to help him decide minor cases (Exo 18:17-27).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Excellence). Father-in-law of Moses. Also called Reuel (Exo 2:18) or Raguel (Num 10:29). He was a Midianite priest (Exo 18:1). When Moses received the order to go deliver the people from him, he spoke with J., who sent him away in peace (Exo 4:18). After leaving Egypt, J. brought Zipporah, Moses’ wife, and his two sons into the desert “where he was encamped by the mount of God” (Exo 18:2-5). “And J. rejoiced at all the good that Jehovah had done to Israel,” blessing God and saying that “Jehovah is greater than all gods”; he also took † œburnt offerings and sacrifices to God † (Exo 18: 10-12). Seeing Moses overburdened with the task of judging the people, he recommended that he appoint “men of virtue, fearing God” to attend to less important business, and that they bring Moses “every serious matter,” which Moses accepted (Exo 18:27).
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, BIOG SACE HOMB HOAT
see, sephora
vet, = “excellence”. Priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses (Ex. 3:1). In Ex. 2:18 he is called Reuel (cf. Josephus, Ant. 2:12, 1). The name Reuel means “friend of God”; the name Jethro was, it seems, his title. Jethro’s seven daughters shepherded his flocks. Moses, who had come fleeing from Egypt, rendered his services to these shepherdesses. Jethro took him in and gave him Zipporah in marriage, one of the seven. Moses cared for his father-in-law’s flocks for forty years (Ex. 3:1, 2; Acts 7:30). Called by God to return to Egypt to be the liberator of the Hebrews, Moses obtained Jethro’s permission to leave him, his wife Zipporah and his two sons accompanied him (Ex. 4: 18-20 ); he later temporarily sent his wife with the two sons to Jethro (Ex. 4:24-26; 18:2) (see Sephora). After crossing the Red Sea, which brought the Israelites close to Jethro’s country, the Midian priest returned Zipporah and her two sons to Moses (Ex. 18:1-7). Jethro thanked God for freeing the Israelites, and offered sacrifices to the Lord. Seeing that Moses spent a lot of time judging minor disputes, Jethro advised him to appoint judges.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(from a root meaning: †œmore than enough; superabundance† ).
Kenite, father-in-law of Moses. (Ex 3:1; Jg 1:16) He is also called Reuel (Nu 10:29), which could indicate that Jethro was a title, while Reuel was his personal name. However, it was not uncommon for an Arab chief to have two or even more names, as many inscriptions attest. In Exodus 4:18 the Masoretic text uses the spelling “Jether”.
Jethro was “the priest of Midian.” As the head of a large family consisting of at least seven daughters and one son mentioned by name (Ex 2:15, 16; Nu 10:29), and as he had the responsibility not only to support his family, but also to lead them in worship, he is appropriately called “the priest of Midian,” a fact that by itself does not necessarily mean that he worshiped Jehovah God, although it is possible that Jethro’s ancestors were rooted in true worship, and perhaps some of it. worship continued in the family. His conduct indicates that he at least had a deep respect for the God of Moses and Israel. (Ex 18:10-12.)
Jethro’s relationship with his future son-in-law began shortly after Moses fled Egypt in 1553 BC. EC Moses helped Jethro’s daughters water the flocks of her father, who, hearing of her, offered him hospitality. Moses agreed to live in Jethro’s house and eventually married his daughter Zipporah. After some forty years tending Jethro’s flocks in the vicinity of Mount Horeb (Sinai), Jehovah called Moses to return to Egypt, which he did with the blessing of his mother-in-law. (Ex 2:15-22; 3:1; 4:18; Ac 7:29, 30)
When Jethro received the report of Jehovah’s great victory over the Egyptians, he immediately went to Moses at Horeb, with Zipporah and the two sons of Moses; It was certainly a very emotional meeting. Jethro responded to Moses’ summary of Jehovah’s mighty acts of salvation by blessing God and confessing: “Now I do know that Jehovah is greater than all other gods.” He then he offered sacrifices to the true God. (Ex 18:1-12) The next day, he watched as Moses listened to the Israelites’ troubles “from morning to evening,” realizing how exhausting this task was for both Moses and the people, he recommended a system for delegating authority. †˜Prepare other able and worthy men to be chiefs over tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands to try cases, so that you will only have to hear the cases they cannot handle.†™ Moses accepted the recommendation and Jethro returned to his own land. (Ex 18:13-27.)
Moses asked Hobab, son of Jethro, to accompany them because he knew the terrain. He agreed after Moses insisted, and some of his family entered the Promised Land with Israel. (Nu 10:29-33) At Judges 4:11 Hobab is said to be Moses’ father-in-law, rather than his brother-in-law, which has created some confusion. However, the Hebrew expression that is usually translated “father-in-law” can more broadly denote any in-laws, so it can also be understood as “brother-in-law.” To say that Hobab was Moses’ father-in-law rather than Jethro would be at odds with other texts. If Hobab were another name for Jethro, as some think, it would mean that the two men, father and son, had the same name. On the other hand, as a prominent member of the next generation of Kenites, it is possible that Hobab figured in this text as a representative of his father. (See HOBAB.)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
Moses’ father-in-law, *Reuel, called Jethro in Ex. 3.1; 4.18. He took Zipporah and her children to meet Moses on Mt. Horeb, and made a sacrifice to Yahweh in thanksgiving for Israel’s deliverance. There he also advised Moses to delegate the administration of justice (Ex. 18). Moses persuaded Jethro’s son Hobab to join the Israelites. on Thu. 4.11, “Keber ceneo” is described as ḥōṯēn of Moses, perhaps a broad term for in-laws; this one, with Jue. 1.16, is the only indication of Jethro’s Kenean descent. The name itself can mean “pre-eminence.”
JPUL
Douglas, J. (2000). New Biblical Dictionary: First Edition. Miami: United Bible Societies.
Source: New Bible Dictionary