Jethro (biblical figure)

This article is about the view of this character in the Hebrew Bible. For the view of him as a prophet in Islam and among the Druze, see Shuaib. For the parsha, see Yitro.

Jethro and Moses (watercolor circa 1900 by James Tissot)

In the Hebrew Bible, Jethro (/ˈdʒɛθroʊ/; Hebrew: יִתְרוֹ, Modern: Yītrō, Tiberian: Yīṯrō, lit. "His Excellence/Posterity"; Arabic: يثرون, romanized: Yaṯrūn) was Moses' father-in-law, a Kenite shepherd and priest of Midian,[1] sometimes called Reuel (or Raguel).[2] In Exodus, Moses' father-in-law 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.[3][4][5]

Muslim scholars and the Druze identify Jethro with the prophet Shuayb, also said to come from Midian.[6][7][8] For the Druze, Shuayb is considered the most important prophet, and the ancestor of all Druze.[9][10]

Jasher mentions a man called Reuel the Midianite, who advised Pharaoh Melol not to harm the Israelites any more. It is written that he was in his presence confronting Job the Uzite and Balaam son of Beor. Narration continues with Pharaoh listening to Balaam and starting the killing of Israelite infant boys.[11]

  1. ^ Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
  2. ^ Meyers, Carol (1 March 2018). Coogan, Michael D.; Brettler, Marc Z.; Newsom, Carol A.; Perkins, Pheme (eds.). The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Fifth ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 81–83. ISBN 978-0-19-027605-8. Like the rest of the Pentateuch, Exodus contains contradictions and redundancies. For example, Moses' father-in-law is sometimes called Reuel and sometimes Jethro; and the mountain of revelation is Sinai in some passages and Horeb in others.
  3. ^ Harris, Stephen (20 January 2010). Understanding The Bible (8 ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. p. 69. ISBN 978-0-07-340744-9. J names Moses' father-in-law as Reuel or Hobab, whereas E knows him as Jethro, priest of Midian.
  4. ^ "Judges 4 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre". www.mechon-mamre.org. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  5. ^ Hamilton, Victor P. (2008). Handbook on the Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther. Baker Publishing Group. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-4412-0569-8. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  6. ^ Corduan, Winfried (2013). Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions. InterVarsity Press. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-8308-7197-1.
  7. ^ Mackey, Sandra (2009). Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-3933-3374-9.
  8. ^ Lev, David (25 October 2010). "MK Kara: Druze are Descended from Jews". Israel National News. Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  9. ^ Blumberg, Arnold (1985). Zion Before Zionism: 1838–1880. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. p. 201. ISBN 0-8156-2336-4.
  10. ^ Rosenfeld, Judy (1952). Ticket to Israel: An Informative Guide. p. 290.
  11. ^ The Book of Jasher Sacred-Texts.com