Who Is Jethro, Priest of Midian?
Learn the story of Moses’s father-in-law, a trusted and wise counselor
By Robin Gallaher Branch, April 02, 2025 in BAS Library.
Intro Paragraphs of her good article are as follows.
The Bible introduces Jethro, who is also called Reuel, as a non-Israelite, a priest of Midian, and the father of seven daughters who are shepherdesses (Exodus 2:16–18). i Moses marries one of them, Zipporah. Some 40 years later, Jethro figures prominently in Exodus 18 and is called therein the father-in-law of Moses. Exodus 18 details a momentous conversation between the two leaders that quickly establishes the civil, judicial framework for the new Israelite community.
Although Moses and the Lord lead a host of characters in Exodus, Jethro dominates Exodus 18. Set in the wilderness, the chapter serves as a pivot between the book’s two major themes: God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt (Exodus 1–17), and God’s giving of the law to Israel (Exodus 20–40). Sandwiched between the Israelites’ victory over the Amalekites and their journey to Mt. Sinai to receive the law (Exodus 17, 19), Exodus 18 highlights Jethro’s visit to the camp and his wise counsel.
Setting the Scene in Midian
According to the Book of Exodus, once Moses realized that Pharaoh knew he had killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2:15), he fled for his life. The Hebrew Bible remains silent on his escape but pauses on where he rested, Midian; scholars speculate that Midian was a rectangular strip of land along the eastern side of the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat in what is now the northwestern boundary of Saudi Arabia.
Notes
i Throughout the Bible, names shed light on character. Reuel means “friend of God,” and Jethro, the priest’s most frequent reference, means “his excellency”; it may signify a title and his increased standing over decades. Moses’s name carries the memory of his rescue from the Nile by his foster mother, a daughter of Pharaoh (Exodus 2:10).
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Also see the short article at BAS titled Jethro by Elie Wiesel
