Jethro

Jethro (יִתְרוֹ "His excellence/posterity," Standard Hebrew Yitro, Tiberian Hebrew Yiṯrô) is a figure from the Hebrew Bible. He is called a priest of Midian, and he becomes father-in-law to Moses.

Related Topics:
Standard Hebrew - Tiberian Hebrew - Hebrew Bible - Priest - Midian - Moses

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Jethro, also known as "Reuel," is recorded as living in Midian, a territory stretching from east of the Dead Sea south onto the Sinai. He was likely a descendant of Abraham through Abraham's son named Midian. Jethro's daughter, Zipporah, becomes Moses's wife after Moses flees Egypt, having killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Moses is said to have worked as a shepherd for Jethro for 40 years before returning to Egypt to lead the Hebrews to Canaan, the "promised land". What we know concerning Jethro is recorded in the Book of Exodus.

Related Topics:
Reuel - Midian - Dead Sea - Sinai - Abraham - Zipporah - Egypt - Hebrew - Slave - Shepherd - Canaan - Book of Exodus

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Jethro is also considered by many to be synonymous with Shoaib, the Muslim prophet. For some reason this particular figure's history is quite convoluted in Muslim sources as compared to that of Judaeo-Christian. Possible reasons for this might be found at Sabians, Midian. Note that the article on Sabians indicates that Mohammed was in fact a Sabian.

Related Topics:
Shoaib - Sabians - Midian

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Yitro is the name of one of the 54 weekly Torah readings or Parshiot (Exodus 18:1-20:23). In it, Jetro advises Moses to establish a system of courts to relieve Moses of the crushing burden of judging all disputes. The portion also contains the Ten Commandments.

Related Topics:
Torah reading - Parshiot - Ten Commandments

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Also, Jethro (Yitro) is one of the books of the Zohar. The Druze consider Jethro to be an important biblical prophet.

Related Topics:
Zohar - Druze

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