28:
1112:
813:
on condition that their first son should be brought up in the worship of idols, and that Moses swore to respect this condition. However, commentaries explain this away by saying that the purpose of this was that he wanted his grandson to truly appreciate the foolishness of idolatry and that which led
804:
Jethro, having remarked that the worship of an idol was foolish, abandoned it. The
Midianites therefore excommunicated him, and none would keep his flocks; so that his daughters were compelled to tend them and were ill-treated by the shepherds. This, however, is in conflict with another statement, to
782:
were consulted by
Pharaoh, and that both advised him to throw the male children into the river; but, seeing that Amalek was excluded from both this and the future life, Jethro repented. Some commentators maintain that when Pharaoh asked his advisors about how to go about outsmarting/exterminating
892:
was greater than all the gods (Exodus 18:11), because he had previously worshiped all the idols of the world; but at the same time he did not deny to idols all divine power. According to Rabbi Joshua, Moses purposely sent Jethro away so he would not be present at the revelation of the Law.
718:
was his father; others thought that his name was "Reuel", interpreting it "the friend of God" (compare the view of some modern scholars, who hold that his name was "Reuel," and that "Jethro" was a title, "his
Excellency").
869:(Exodus 18:9), generally translated "and Jethro rejoiced," are interpreted by the Talmudists as "he circumcised himself"; or "he felt a stinging in his flesh"; that is to say, he was sorry for the loss of the
826:
was given, and consequently what it was that induced him to go to the wilderness, are disputed points among the ancient rabbis. According to some, it was the giving of the Torah; according to others, the
746:'s father-in-law (Exodus 6:25) being identified with Jethro by interpreting his name either as "he who abandoned idolatry" or as "who fattened calves for the sake of sacrifices to the idol".
1147:
658:
814:
Jethro himself to abandon it and that Moses only acceded when he saw through divine inspiration that Jethro would end up releasing him of the vow anyway.
766:
as to the means for exterminating the children of Israel; and as he dissuaded
Pharaoh from his design, he was recompensed in that his descendants, the
846:, he wrote a letter and tied it to an arrow which he shot into the camp. Moses did not go out alone to meet his father-in-law; but was accompanied by
258:
155:
1152:
651:
801:
mean that he was the "priest Midian"; according to the other, "prince Midian". Other sources state that Jethro was a priest.
253:
248:
447:
644:
921:
726:, he had two names, "Hobab" and "Jethro". It became, however, generally accepted that he had seven names: "Reuel", "
686:, contain various expansions, elaborations and inferences beyond what is presented in the text of the Bible itself.
206:
150:
472:
381:
888:(Exodus 18:10); such a thing had not been done either by Moses or by any of the Israelites. Jethro knew that
1130:
889:
711:
343:
243:
954:
828:
560:
288:
790:
783:
Israel, Jethro promptly fled the scene while Job remained silent and Balaam suggested to enslave them.
851:
442:
363:
1125:
838:
The manner in which Jethro announced his arrival to Moses is also variously described. According to
775:
675:
358:
348:
338:
283:
19:
969:
368:
353:
318:
723:
522:
396:
238:
884:
Jethro was the first to utter a benediction to God for the wonders performed by Him for the
731:
497:
427:
386:
308:
303:
94:
27:
873:, his former coreligionists. By an interchange of the ח with the ה, the phrase would read
786:
590:
512:
432:
376:
132:
1121:
1037:
679:
568:
555:
517:
492:
467:
278:
119:
1141:
1116:
993:
870:
839:
502:
437:
298:
293:
36:
843:
624:
401:
759:
391:
200:
982:
707:
703:
699:
581:
507:
953:
Exodus Rabbah 27:7; Mekhilta, Yitro, Amalek, 1; Tanhuma, Shemot, 11; compare
885:
771:
767:
858:, and the seventy elders of Israel to honor Jethro. Some say that even the
859:
806:
1115: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
1015:
763:
743:
672:
603:
313:
220:
80:
67:
62:
53:
966:
902:
794:
779:
755:
739:
735:
727:
695:
535:
99:
84:
932:
855:
847:
832:
823:
810:
715:
683:
546:
195:
175:
878:
822:
Whether Jethro went to the wilderness before or after the
1049:
Zevachim 116a; Yerushalmi
Megillah 1:11; Mekhilta l.c.
972:
106a; Exodus Rabbah 1:12; compare I Chronicles 2:55
754:According to the Talmud, Jethro together with
652:
8:
1148:Hebrew Bible people in rabbinic literature
659:
645:
599:
577:
542:
481:
456:
410:
327:
267:
227:
184:
164:
139:
108:
76:
49:
15:
805:the effect that Jethro gave his daughter
698:was the difference in names presented at
259:Baraita on the Erection of the Tabernacle
842:, Jethro sent a messenger; according to
914:
710:: some thought that his real name was "
602:
580:
545:
534:
484:
459:
413:
330:
270:
230:
219:
187:
167:
142:
131:
111:
79:
52:
43:
18:
7:
793:disagree as to Jethro's position in
156:Mekhilta of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
14:
1124:; et al., eds. (1901–1906).
1134:. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
1110:
1058:Mekhilta l.c.; Tanhuma, Yitro, 6
1005:Mekhilta l.c.; Exodus Rabba 27.2
831:dry-shod, or the falling of the
26:
1076:Sanhedrin l.c.; Mekhilta l.c. 2
922:JewishEncyclopedia.com – JETHRO
254:Baraita on the Thirty-two Rules
249:Baraita of the Forty-nine Rules
797:: according to one, the words
1:
862:itself went out to meet him.
448:Iggeret of Rabbi Sherira Gaon
1103:Compare Exodus 18.27, Hebrew
957:to Exodus 6:25 and Sotah 44a
1085:Mekhilta l.c.; Tanhuma l.c.
621:Targum to the Five Megillot
1169:
1094:Yalkut Shimoni, Exodus 269
678:to the Biblical character
944:compare Judges 1:16, 4:11
207:Mekhilta le-Sefer Devarim
151:Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael
1153:Jethro (biblical figure)
1131:The Jewish Encyclopedia
829:crossing of the Red Sea
730:", "Jethro", "Hobab", "
682:, the father-in-law of
344:Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer
244:Alphabet of Rabbi Akiva
201:Sifrei Zutta on Numbers
188:Numbers and Deuteronomy
955:Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
561:Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
877:meaning "he became a
818:With Moses and Israel
289:Pesikta de-Rav Kahana
176:Sifra (Torat Kohanim)
1014:Exodus Rabbah 1.35;
630:Targum to Chronicles
443:Shir ha-Shirim Zutta
364:Shir HaShirim Rabbah
694:One puzzle for the
676:rabbinic literature
359:Ecclesiastes Rabbah
349:Tanna Devei Eliyahu
339:Avot de-Rabbi Natan
284:Lamentations Rabbah
44:Talmudic literature
20:Rabbinic literature
791:Eleazar of Modi'im
369:Deuteronomy Rabbah
354:Alphabet of Sirach
319:Megillat Antiochus
1067:Tanhuma, Yitro, 5
1027:Exodus Rabba l.c.
762:was consulted by
724:Shimon bar Yochai
669:
668:
636:
635:
598:
597:
576:
575:
530:
529:
523:Smaller midrashim
480:
479:
455:
454:
409:
408:
397:Baraita of Samuel
326:
325:
266:
265:
239:Seder Olam Rabbah
215:
214:
183:
182:
163:
162:
127:
126:
107:
106:
100:Babylonian Talmud
75:
74:
1160:
1135:
1114:
1113:
1104:
1101:
1095:
1092:
1086:
1083:
1077:
1074:
1068:
1065:
1059:
1056:
1050:
1047:
1041:
1034:
1028:
1025:
1019:
1012:
1006:
1003:
997:
991:
985:
979:
973:
964:
958:
951:
945:
942:
936:
930:
924:
919:
661:
654:
647:
600:
578:
543:
498:Yalkut haMachiri
482:
457:
428:Midrash Tehillim
411:
387:Midrash Proverbs
328:
309:Seder Olam Zutta
304:Leviticus Rabbah
268:
228:
185:
165:
140:
133:Halakhic Midrash
109:
95:Jerusalem Talmud
77:
50:
30:
16:
1168:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1138:
1137:
1122:Singer, Isidore
1120:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1102:
1098:
1093:
1089:
1084:
1080:
1075:
1071:
1066:
1062:
1057:
1053:
1048:
1044:
1036:Mekhilta l.c.;
1035:
1031:
1026:
1022:
1013:
1009:
1004:
1000:
992:
988:
980:
976:
965:
961:
952:
948:
943:
939:
931:
927:
920:
916:
911:
899:
820:
770:, sat with the
752:
692:
665:
612:Targum Tehillim
591:Targum Jonathan
565:Fragment Targum
513:Midrash HaGadol
433:Midrash Hashkem
377:Pesikta Rabbati
221:Aggadic Midrash
120:Minor Tractates
39:
12:
11:
5:
1166:
1164:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1140:
1139:
1106:
1105:
1096:
1087:
1078:
1069:
1060:
1051:
1042:
1038:Yalkut Shimoni
1029:
1020:
1007:
998:
986:
974:
959:
946:
937:
925:
913:
912:
910:
907:
906:
905:
898:
895:
819:
816:
751:
748:
706:, compared to
691:
688:
667:
666:
664:
663:
656:
649:
641:
638:
637:
634:
633:
632:
631:
628:
622:
619:
616:
615:Targum Mishlei
613:
607:
606:
596:
595:
594:
593:
585:
584:
574:
573:
572:
571:
569:Targum Neofiti
566:
563:
558:
556:Targum Onkelos
550:
549:
539:
538:
532:
531:
528:
527:
526:
525:
520:
518:Numbers Rabbah
515:
510:
505:
500:
495:
493:Yalkut Shimoni
487:
486:
478:
477:
476:
475:
473:Sefer haYashar
470:
468:Midrash Tadshe
462:
461:
453:
452:
451:
450:
445:
440:
435:
430:
425:
422:
416:
415:
407:
406:
405:
404:
399:
394:
389:
384:
382:Midrash Shmuel
379:
374:
371:
366:
361:
356:
351:
346:
341:
333:
332:
324:
323:
322:
321:
316:
311:
306:
301:
296:
291:
286:
281:
279:Genesis Rabbah
273:
272:
264:
263:
262:
261:
256:
251:
246:
241:
233:
232:
224:
223:
217:
216:
213:
212:
211:
210:
203:
198:
190:
189:
181:
180:
179:
178:
170:
169:
161:
160:
159:
158:
153:
145:
144:
136:
135:
129:
128:
125:
124:
123:
122:
114:
113:
105:
104:
103:
102:
97:
89:
88:
73:
72:
71:
70:
65:
57:
56:
46:
45:
41:
40:
33:Talmud Readers
31:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1165:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1145:
1143:
1136:
1133:
1132:
1127:
1123:
1118:
1117:public domain
1100:
1097:
1091:
1088:
1082:
1079:
1073:
1070:
1064:
1061:
1055:
1052:
1046:
1043:
1039:
1033:
1030:
1024:
1021:
1017:
1011:
1008:
1002:
999:
995:
994:Exodus Rabbah
990:
987:
984:
978:
975:
971:
968:
963:
960:
956:
950:
947:
941:
938:
934:
929:
926:
923:
918:
915:
908:
904:
901:
900:
896:
894:
891:
887:
882:
880:
876:
872:
868:
867:vayihad Yitro
863:
861:
857:
853:
849:
845:
841:
840:Rabbi Eliezer
836:
834:
830:
825:
817:
815:
812:
808:
802:
800:
796:
792:
788:
784:
781:
778:. Jethro and
777:
773:
769:
765:
761:
757:
750:Previous life
749:
747:
745:
741:
737:
733:
729:
725:
722:According to
720:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
700:Numbers 10:29
697:
689:
687:
685:
681:
677:
674:
671:Allusions in
662:
657:
655:
650:
648:
643:
642:
640:
639:
629:
626:
623:
620:
617:
614:
611:
610:
609:
608:
605:
601:
592:
589:
588:
587:
586:
583:
579:
570:
567:
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
553:
552:
551:
548:
544:
541:
540:
537:
533:
524:
521:
519:
516:
514:
511:
509:
506:
504:
503:Midrash Jonah
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
490:
489:
488:
483:
474:
471:
469:
466:
465:
464:
463:
458:
449:
446:
444:
441:
439:
438:Exodus Rabbah
436:
434:
431:
429:
426:
423:
420:
419:
418:
417:
412:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
388:
385:
383:
380:
378:
375:
373:Devarim Zutta
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
350:
347:
345:
342:
340:
337:
336:
335:
334:
329:
320:
317:
315:
312:
310:
307:
305:
302:
300:
299:Midrash Iyyob
297:
295:
294:Esther Rabbah
292:
290:
287:
285:
282:
280:
277:
276:
275:
274:
269:
260:
257:
255:
252:
250:
247:
245:
242:
240:
237:
236:
235:
234:
229:
226:
225:
222:
218:
208:
204:
202:
199:
197:
194:
193:
192:
191:
186:
177:
174:
173:
172:
171:
166:
157:
154:
152:
149:
148:
147:
146:
141:
138:
137:
134:
130:
121:
118:
117:
116:
115:
110:
101:
98:
96:
93:
92:
91:
90:
86:
82:
78:
69:
66:
64:
61:
60:
59:
58:
55:
51:
48:
47:
42:
38:
37:Adolf Behrman
34:
29:
25:
24:
21:
17:
1129:
1109:
1099:
1090:
1081:
1072:
1063:
1054:
1045:
1040:, Exodus 169
1032:
1023:
1010:
1001:
989:
983:Exodus 17:14
977:
962:
949:
940:
935:, Numbers 78
928:
917:
883:
874:
866:
864:
844:Rabbi Joshua
837:
821:
803:
799:kohen Midyan
798:
785:
753:
721:
693:
670:
625:Targum Sheni
618:Targum Iyyov
460:1000–1200 CE
402:Targum Sheni
32:
714:" and that
708:Exodus 4:18
704:Judges 4:11
424:Eichah Zuta
414:900–1000 CE
392:Ruth Rabbah
1142:Categories
1018:, Yitro, 5
886:Israelites
865:The words
768:Rechabites
696:Talmudists
508:Ein Yaakov
331:650–900 CE
271:400–600 CE
970:Sanhedrin
871:Egyptians
787:R. Joshua
772:Sanhedrin
690:His names
627:to Esther
421:Ruth Zuta
231:Tannaitic
168:Leviticus
54:Tannaitic
1126:"Jethro"
981:Compare
897:See also
875:vayihad,
860:Shekinah
807:Zipporah
738:", and "
1119::
1016:Tanhuma
789:and R.
774:in the
764:Pharaoh
744:Eleazar
604:Ketuvim
582:Nevi'im
314:Tanhuma
81:Amoraic
68:Tosefta
63:Mishnah
967:Talmud
903:Shuaib
795:Midian
780:Amalek
776:Temple
756:Balaam
740:Putiel
728:Jether
680:Jethro
673:Jewish
536:Targum
143:Exodus
85:Gemara
933:Sifre
909:Notes
856:Abihu
852:Nadab
848:Aaron
833:manna
824:Torah
811:Moses
732:Heber
716:Reuel
712:Hobab
684:Moses
547:Torah
485:Later
196:Sifre
112:Later
996:27.5
758:and
736:Keni
734:", "
702:and
890:God
881:".
879:Jew
809:to
760:Job
742:";
35:by
1144::
1128:.
854:,
850:,
835:.
660:e
653:t
646:v
209:)
205:(
87:)
83:(
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