His Names
One puzzle for the Talmudists was the difference in names presented at Numbers 10:29 and Judges 4:11, compared to Exodus 4:18: some thought that his real name was "Hobab" and that Reuel was his father (see Hobab); others thought that his name was "Reuel", interpreting it "the friend of God" (see Jethro—Biblical Data, and comp. the view of some modern scholars, who hold that his name was "Reuel," and that "Jethro" was a title, "his Excellency").
According to Shimon bar Yochai, he had two names, "Hobab" and "Jethro" (Sifre, Num. 78). It became, however, generally accepted that he had seven names: "Reuel", "Jether", "Jethro", "Hobab", "Heber", "Keni" (comp. Judges i. 16, iv. 11), and "Putiel"; Eleazar's father-in-law (Ex. vi. 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" (Ex. R. xxvii. 7; Mek., Yitro, 'Amaleḳ, 1; Tan., Shemot, 11; comp. Targ. pseudo-Jonathan to Ex. vi. 25 and Soṭah 44a).
Read more about this topic: Jethro In Rabbinic Literature
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