Dictionary Article

Name associated with Moses’ father-in-law (Nm 10:29; Jgs 4:11, NLT mg), who was a priest of Midian (Ex 18:1) and ancestor of the Kenites (Jgs 4:11). He is usually called Jethro (Ex 3:1; 4:18; 18:1-12), but also Reuel (Ex 2:18).

Show passage in OET: NUM 10:29

OET-RV NUM 10:29

29 Then Mosheh (Moses) told Hovav (son of the Midyanite Re’uel who was Mosheh’s father-in-law), “We’re heading towards the place that Yahweh said he’d give us. Come and join us, and we’ll look after you, because Yahweh has promised to look after Yisrael (Israel).”

OET-LV NUM 10:29

29 And_ Mosheh _he/it _said to_Ḩoⱱāⱱ the _son _of Rəˊū^ʼēl the_Midyānite the _father-in-law _of Mosheh are_about _to _set _out we to the_place which YHWH he _said DOM_him/it I _will _give to/for_you(pl) come with_us and_we _will _do _good to/for_you(fs) if/because YHWH he _has _spoken good on Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: JDG 4:11

OET-RV JDG 4:11

11 Now Hever had moved with his wife Ya’el and their family away from the other Keynim (and from Mosheh’s (Moses) father-in-law Hovav’s descendants) and set up his tent by the oak tree at Tsa’ananim near Kedesh.

OET-LV JDG 4:11

11 And_Ḩeⱱer the_Qēynī was_separated from_the_Qēynī[s] from_(the)_sons of _Ḩoⱱāⱱ the _father-in-law _of Mosheh and_he _had _pitched tent _of_his to the_great _tree in/on/at/with which is_with Qedesh.

Show passage in OET: EXO 18:1

OET-RV EXO 18:1

18 Now Yitro (Jethro), the priest at Midyan and Mosheh’s (Moses) father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Mosheh and for his people the Israelis—that Yahweh had brought the Israelis out of Mitsrayim (Egypt).

OET-LV EXO 18:1

18 And_ Yitrō/(Jethro) the _priest _of Midyān the _father-in-law _of Mosheh _he/it _listened DOM all _of that god he _had _done for_Mosheh and_for_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) people _of_his if/because _that YHWH he _had _brought _out DOM Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) from_Miʦrayim/(Egypt).

Show passage in OET: EXO 3:1

OET-RV EXO 3:1

3 One time Mosheh (Moses) was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Yitro (Jethro) (or Yitro, the priest at Midyan), and he led the flock beyond the wilderness and came to a hill. (This was later known as the mountain of God at Horev).

OET-LV EXO 3:1

3 And_Mosheh he _was pasturing DOM the _flock _of Yitrō/(Jethro) father-in-law _of_his the _priest _of Midyān and_he _drove DOM the_flock behind the_wilderness and_he _came to the _mountain _of the_ʼElohīm to_Ḩorēⱱ.

Show passage in OET: EXO 4:18

OET-RV EXO 4:18

18 Then Mosheh (Moses) went back to his father-in-law Yitro (Jethro), and told him, “Can I please leave so I can return to my relatives in Mitsrayim (Egypt) and see whether they’re still alive.”
¶ “Go in peace,” Yitro answered.

OET-LV EXO 4:18

18 And_ Mosheh _he/it _went and_he _returned to Yitrō/(Jethro) father-in-law _of_his and_he/it _said to_him/it let _me _go please so_that _I _may _return to relatives _of_my who are_in_Miʦrayim/(Egypt) and_so _that _I _may _see are_still_they living and_ Yitrō _he/it _said to_Mosheh go to_peace.

Show passage in OET: EXO 18:1–12

OET-RV EXO 18:1

OET-RV EXO 18:2

2 (Yitro had been looking after Mosheh’s wife Tsiporah and their two sons after he had sent her back

OET-RV EXO 18:3

3 along with their two sons. One was named ‘Gereshom’ (which sounds like the Hebrew word for ‘foreigner’) because Mosheh had said, “I’ve been a foreigner living in another country.”

OET-RV EXO 18:4

4 Their other son’s name was ‘Eliezer’ (which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘God helps me’, because Mosheh had said, “God, who my father worshipped, has helped me and stopped the Mitsri (Egyptian) king Par’oh (Pharaoh) from killing me.”))

OET-RV EXO 18:5

5 So now Mosheh’s father-in-law brought Mosheh’s wife and sons to the wilderness where the people were camping near the mountain of God.

OET-RV EXO 18:6

6 He had sent a message ahead saying, “I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you, as well as your wife and your two sons.”

OET-RV EXO 18:7

7 So Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their welfare, then they went into the tent,

OET-RV EXO 18:8

8 and Mosheh related to his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Par’oh and to Mitsrayim on account of Yisrael (Israel), all the hardship that found them along the way, and about how Yahweh had rescued them.

OET-RV EXO 18:9

9 Yitro was very happy to hear about all the good things that Yahweh had done for Yisrael when he had rescued them out from Mitsri control,

OET-RV EXO 18:10

10 and he said, “Bless Yahweh, who rescued you from slavery in Mitsrayim, and from Par’oh’s power.

OET-RV EXO 18:11

11 Now I can see that Yahweh is greater than all the other gods because of the this result after the Mitsrim (Egyptians) had acted proudly against you all.”

OET-RV EXO 18:12

12 Then Mosheh’s father-in-law Yitro made a burnt offering as well as sacrifices to God, and Aharon (Aaron) and all of the Israeli elders came to eat bread with Mosheh’s father-in-law in God’s presence.

OET-LV EXO 18:1

OET-LV EXO 18:2

2 And_ Yitrō the _father-in-law _of Mosheh _he/it _took DOM Tsipporāh/(Zipporah) the _wife _of Mosheh after dismissal(s)_of_her.

OET-LV EXO 18:3

3 And_DOM the _two _of sons _of_her who the _name _of the_one was_Gērəshom if/because he _had _said a _sojourner I _have _become in_land foreign.

OET-LV EXO 18:4

4 And_name _of the_one was_ʼElīˊezer if/because the _god _of my _father _of_my has_been_(in)_of_my _help and_he_has _delivered _me from_the _sword _of Parˊoh.

OET-LV EXO 18:5

5 And_ Yitrō the _father-in-law _of Mosheh and_sons _of_his and_his/its_woman/wife _he _came to Mosheh into the_wilderness where he was_encamping there the _mountain _of the_ʼElohīm.

OET-LV EXO 18:6

6 And_he/it _said to Mosheh I father-in-law _of_your Yitrō am_coming to_you and_wife _of_your and_the _two _of sons _of_her with_her/it.

OET-LV EXO 18:7

7 And_ Mosheh _he/it _went _out to_meet father-in-law _of_his and_he _bowed _down and_he _kissed to_him/it and_they _asked each of_neighbour _of_his to_welfare and_they _came to_the_tent.

OET-LV EXO 18:8

8 And_ Mosheh _he _recounted to_father-in-law _of_his DOM all _of that YHWH he _had _done to_Parˊoh and_to_Miʦrayim on the _causes _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) DOM all _of the_hardship which it_had _come _upon _them on_journey and_he_had _delivered _them YHWH.

OET-LV EXO 18:9

9 And_ Yitrō/(Jethro) _he _rejoiced on all _of the_good which YHWH he _had _done to_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) whom he_had _delivered _it from_the _hand _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt).

OET-LV EXO 18:10

10 And_ Yitrō _he/it _said YHWH who he _has _delivered you(pl) from_the _hand _of Miʦrayim and_from_the _hand _of Parˊoh who he _has _delivered DOM the_people from_under the _hand _of Miʦrayim be_blessed.

OET-LV EXO 18:11

11 Now I _know if/because _that is_great YHWH from_all the_ʼElohīm if/because in_matter which they _have _acted _presumptuously on_them.

OET-LV EXO 18:12

12 And_ Yitrō the _father-in-law _of Mosheh _he/it _took a _burnt _offering and_sacrifices to_god and_he _came ʼAhₐron and_all/each/any/every the _elders _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) to_eat food with the _father-in-law _of Mosheh to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before the_ʼElohīm.

Show passage in OET: EXO 2:18

OET-RV EXO 2:18

18 When they got home to their father Re’uel, he asked, “How come you got home so early today?”

OET-LV EXO 2:18

18 And_they _went to Rəˊū^ʼēl father _of_their and_he/it _said why did _you(pl)_hurry to _come the_day.

Jump to OET NUM 10:29 section.

Jump to OET JDG 4:11 section.

Jump to OET EXO 18:1 section.

Jump to OET EXO 3:1 section.

Jump to OET EXO 4:18 section.

Jump to OET EXO 18:1–12 section.

Jump to OET EXO 2:18 section.

The confusion surrounding the name Hobab has never been satisfactorily resolved. Judges 4:11 seems to identify Hobab with Jethro; there is some manuscript evidence for adding “Hobab” to “the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law” in Judges 1:16, and to the mention of Reuel in Exodus 2:18. But Hobab could be Jethro’s son, on one reading of Numbers 10:29a: “Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law.” In this passage Moses requests that Hobab accompany Israel as guide and adviser in the wilderness.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary