Reuel

A young man runs from Egypt, sits down by a well in Midian, and helps seven sisters water their flock. At home their father Reuel asks, “where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.” So Moses finds a home, a wife and a son, and says, “I have been a stranger in a strange land.” Elsewhere the name Reuel is given to a grandson of Esau and to a man of Gad. The warm welcome in Exodus 2:15-22 is where this name matters most.

19 verses

Genesis

Genesis 36:4

And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;

Genesis 36:10

These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

Genesis 36:13

And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

Genesis 36:17

And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

Exodus

Exodus 2:15

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

Exodus 2:16

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Exodus 2:17

And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

Exodus 2:18

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

Exodus 2:19

And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

Exodus 2:20

And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.

Exodus 2:21

And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

Exodus 2:22

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

Exodus 3:1

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

Exodus 4:18

And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

Numbers

Numbers 1:14

Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

Numbers 7:42

On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:

Numbers 7:47

And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

Numbers 10:29

And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 9:8

And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Friend of God. (1.) A son of Esau and Bashemath (Gen. 36:4, 10; 1 Chr. 1:35). (2.) “The priest of Midian,” Moses’ father-in-law (Ex. 2:18)=Raguel (Num. 10:29). If he be identified with Jethro (q.v.), then this may be regarded as his proper name, and Jether or Jethro (i.e., “excellency”) as his official title. (3.) Num. 2:14, called also Deuel (1:14; 7:42).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(friend of God) One of the sons of Esau, by his wife Bashemath, sister of Ishmael. (Genesis 36:4,10,13,17; 1 Chronicles 1:36,37) (B.C. about 1790.)

(1.) One of the names of Moses’ father-in-law. (Exodus 2:18) (B.C. 1530.)

(2.) Father of Eliasaph, the leader of the tribe of Gad at the time of the census at Sinai. (Numbers 2:14) (B.C. 1490.)

(3.) A Benjamite, ancestor of Elah. (1 Chronicles 9:8)

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.