What Do We Know about Jethro, Moses' Father-in-Law?
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Jethro might be a familiar name for Christians, especially those who have studied the Bible beyond the most popular stories. Those stories are important to know, and we all begin somewhere. Yet there’s a rich context to the narratives about Moses, David, Jesus, and others. The cultural backdrops and supporting characters give an even deeper appreciation and understanding of God’s redemptive story around the primary figures and the whole restorative arc.
Certain characters might not be well known, but their impact spans hundreds of years. In Jethro’s case, his wisdom and leadership at a crucial moment gave Israel and the Western world important principles.
Where Does the Bible Mention Jethro?
Scripture introduces Jethro, also called Reuel, in the life of Moses in the book of Exodus. The Bible describes Jethro as the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law.
Jethro first appears in Exodus 2:16-22, where Moses runs from Egypt to Midian after killing an Egyptian. Moses meets Jethro’s daughters at a well, and he helps them draw water and protect them from aggressive local shepherds. The daughters tell their father, Jethro, about Moses’ heroism, and Jethro then invites Moses to their home. Moses ends up marrying Jethro’s daughter, Zipporah, and they have children. Jethro becomes Moses’ father-in-law and a type of mentor.
Exodus 3:1 mentions Jethro again while Moses shepherds flocks in Midian. In this chapter, Moses encounters God in the burning bush where the Lord calls him to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery.
Jethro’s most important appearance comes after Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt. In Exodus 18:1-12, Jethro visits Moses in the wilderness, bringing Zipporah and Moses’ sons. Jethro praises the great works of God over Israel and offers a sacrifice. Within this chapter, Moses has been overwhelmed with leadership, and Jethro provides some amazing wisdom.
What was Jethro’s Background and People?
Jethro’s people, the Midianites, descended from Abraham through Keturah, Abraham’s wife after Sarah’s death. Abraham and Sarah birthed the miraculous son, Isaac, and Isaac’s progeny carried the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob/Israel and the twelve tribes. Sarah passed away, and Abraham married again. Keturah bore him other sons who each also became people groups, one of them Midian, the ancestor of the Midianites. Jethro and his people were distant relatives of the Israelites and Moses.
As a Midianite, Jethro lived east of Egypt in the region now known as the Arabian Peninsula. Midianites worked as nomadic herders, much like the Israelites had been before their slavery to Egypt. Although they were distinct from the Israelites, they shared some spiritual beliefs, probably because of the shared Abrahamic background. This background might explain some similar monotheistic beliefs and why the Bible specifically mentions Jethro as the priest of God, some form of spiritual leadership and relationship with the Lord. While the Bible doesn’t give specifics about the priestly role before Moses and Exodus, Genesis mentions Melchizedek as a king and a priest, and Abraham tithed to him. Jethro and Melchizedek imply some intercessory role in the ancient world associated with the one God who later became known as Yahweh.
Jethro acted as a type of priest. Exodus 18 shows his spiritual understanding when he praises God, affirming the Lord’s work in delivering the slaves from Egypt. After Moses recounts the story, Jethro says, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods.” (Exodus 18:11) They lived in an age of many gods, like Egypt had, and Jethro acknowledges how God proved himself superior over all others.
Even though the Midianites weren’t part of the Israelite nation, Jethro’s Abrahamic background and role as a priest connected to the larger redemptive story.
How Did Jethro Influence Moses?
When Moses arrived in Midian after escaping from Pharaoh, he needed purpose and a community. Jethro first recognized the character of the man, despite being a murderer, and he gave Moses a job as a shepherd to tend his flocks. Moses had been raised in Pharaoh’s household and Egyptian culture, a more agrarian society. The Israelites had been herders, so this opportunity reconnected Moses to his ethnic and cultural roots in many ways, especially considering the Midianite connection with Abraham.
Shepherding also provided a stable job in an unfamiliar land. Shepherding allowed Moses to have quiet and contemplative times. He developed practical skills that prepared him for the leadership challenges he would later face with the Israelites in the wilderness. The forty years in Midian helped shape Moses’ character.
Since Jethro was the priest of God, perhaps Moses learned more about his family and spiritual history from his father-in-law. While he lived in Pharaoh’s court, Moses likely heard stories about his distant relatives from his mother and sister. The twelve tribes of Israel didn’t really have a priest class, but Egypt did. It’s possible Jethro provided a better example of what a priest should be and do instead of the Egyptian polytheistic magicians. These experiences may have influenced much of Israel’s development under Moses’ leadership.
At the same time, Moses’ knowledge of God seemed incomplete. Moses sees a burning bush and encounters God, but doesn’t know who this deity is. He needed to argue with God, see miracles, and even asked the Lord for a name.
Jethro welcomed Moses into his family. Yes, Moses lived in a wider Midian community, but these intimate connections also helped Moses grow and develop character. Over those forty years, he learned the daily rhythms and faithfulness of being a son-in-law, a husband, and a father. These are God-ordained relationships meant to express the heavenly reality, as we see Paul explain in the New Testament (Ephesians 5). Paul also connects the ability to lead a family with the character to lead the people of God (1 Timothy 3:4-5), which Jethro helped Moses learn over those decades.
What Important Wisdom Did Jethro Share with Moses?
In Exodus 18, Jethro sees how Moses was overwhelmed with his leadership of what the Bible says may have been a million people (Exodus 12:37). Moses singlehandedly handled all the disputes across the whole Israelite community. Moses would sit from morning to night as people waited in long lines to have him judge their conflicts, knowing he was a fair judge. Jethro’s wisdom starts with how he notices the strain on Moses. Jethro says, “What you are doing is not good … You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you” (Exodus 18:17-18).
Yet he doesn’t only point out the problem. True wisdom involves offering a solution. He advises Moses to appoint leaders to help oversee the people. Jethro suggests establishing a hierarchical structure with capable, God-fearing, and trustworthy men as leaders over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They would handle the smaller disputes and allow only the most difficult cases to be brought to Moses.
This amazing suggestion accomplished a few things. First, it dignified Israelite leaders, people who had developed character. Egypt had enslaved them. This freed and affirmed them as a nation capable of self-government. Second, it decentralized the Israelite community, allowing them to dispense justice more efficiently and fairly. These leaders would be closer to their tens or hundreds and know the best judgment. In addition, more people would get justice without waiting in long lines. Third, this decentralization was the opposite of an oppressive king, a Pharaoh, which had been the norm in Egypt. Fourth, Jethro’s wisdom saved Moses’ energy for the bigger decisions and vision for Israel.
This structure survived through Israel’s history, especially through the time of Judges and to the time of the kings. But this wisdom goes beyond ancient Israel. It has influenced modern representative government. In modern constitutional republics, representatives at various levels (local, state, and national) handle issues on behalf of the citizens. This layered approach allows people access to justice and resources without burdening a central authority who knows little or nothing about the local context. America became the first constitutional republic, and the Israelite system of decentralized government was one influence for the U.S. system along with Plato’s Republic. We now have around 140 constitutional republics around the world.
Jethro’s model reveals timeless wisdom we still use today with core principles of representative government. Leaders are accountable to the people they serve, and the burden is shared among many rather than borne by one.
What Can Christians Learn from Jethro?
Jethro provides a great example of how spiritual growth and effective leadership requires guidance from others, especially those with experience and wisdom. All leaders need help and mentorship to be effective.
Moses had a close relationship with God. Exodus 33:11 says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” Later, in Numbers 12:6-8, God affirms this special relationship during a time when Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses’ leadership in the wilderness. “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions. I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord.”
Despite this close relationship, Moses needed mentorship and wise counsel from others. We all need the benefit from having mentors who offer encouragement, perspective, and guidance in difficult times. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in abundance of counselors there is safety.” The Bible consistently reveals the importance of having these mentors, like David had Samuel. In the New Testament, we trace spiritual family from Jesus to the disciples, from the apostles to Barnabas, from Barnabas to Saul/Paul, and from Paul to Timothy. Learning from others is part of the process of transformation, and no one skips this.
Jethro provided a family to Moses, reminding us how family members offer central support and wisdom. God often places the family in our lives to encourage us and give us perspective when we need it. We follow this example by valuing the input of family members who share a biblical worldview. God often speaks through those closest to us.
Finally, we learn how sharing needed wisdom leaves a legacy beyond the current situation. Jethro’s wisdom established a structure of leadership that impacted Israel’s governance and can still be seen today thousands of years later. Paul wrote letters to individuals and churches to deal with immediate situations, and he likely didn’t realize we’d still be reading his words two thousand years later. We all have had teachers or pastors share wisdom or truths with us that we continue to live by and pass on to others. Christians must realize the eternal value of sharing truth and God’s wisdom through family and relationships, which can be seen in the life of Jethro and his relationship with Moses.
Peace.
Image created using AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.
