Exodus 3:1: What Kind of Priest Was Jethro?

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Jethro in Exodus 3:1 – Priest of Midian

Exodus 3:1 states: “Now Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.” This passage introduces Jethro not only as Moses’ father-in-law but also as “the priest of Midian.” This dual role has theological and historical implications worth examining in light of the patriarchal context and Midianite lineage.

Jethro, also called Reuel (Exodus 2:18), was a Midianite who resided in the land east of the Gulf of Aqaba, a region inhabited by descendants of Abraham through Keturah, his second wife. According to Genesis 25:1–2, Midian was one of six sons born to Abraham and Keturah after Sarah’s death. This makes the Midianites kin to the Israelites—though not of the covenant line through Isaac, they shared a common patriarchal origin.

Patriarchal Culture and Priesthood Function

During the patriarchal period, spanning from Abraham (c. 2167 B.C.E.) through the establishment of Israel as a nation (after the Exodus in 1446 B.C.E.), the role of priest was commonly held by the head of the family or tribe. This was not a formal office as later defined under the Mosaic Covenant, but a function linked to leadership, instruction, and sacrificial mediation. The patriarch was the representative before God on behalf of his household or community.

Thus, when Jethro is called a “priest of Midian,” it is likely that he functioned as the spiritual leader and possibly judicial authority over his clan or tribe. This would include instructing in moral and ethical matters, mediating disputes, and offering sacrifices. There is no indication that he was a priest in the Levitical sense—that structure would not be established until after the Exodus and Sinai Covenant.

Jethro’s Knowledge of the True God

Although the Midianites were not Israelites, they were descendants of Abraham and may have retained knowledge of the Most High God, Jehovah. Genesis 25:1–6 shows Abraham sending away the sons of his concubines—including Midian—with gifts, possibly to avoid inheritance disputes with Isaac. This separation likely resulted in some loss or distortion of true worship over time. However, given their descent from Abraham, it is possible that traces of monotheism and reverence for the God of Abraham remained.

This may explain why Jethro, though not an Israelite, is portrayed respectfully in Scripture. His recognition of Jehovah is seen clearly in Exodus 18:10–12:

“Blessed be Jehovah, who delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians… Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods… Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God.”

This passage shows not only his verbal acknowledgment of Jehovah’s supremacy but also his participation in sacrificial worship to Jehovah, which Moses and the elders of Israel accepted. While this does not necessarily imply full theological orthodoxy by Israelite standards, it does suggest a form of true worship in his capacity as a patriarch-priest, at least in that moment.

Jethro and the Kenites

Jethro is also identified with the Kenites (Judges 1:16; 4:11), a nomadic group possibly overlapping with or integrated into Midianite society. Some suggest that the Kenites maintained a distinct tribal identity within or alongside the Midianites, perhaps through intermarriage or social alliance.

This link is important because the Kenites appear repeatedly in the Hebrew Bible in a positive light. In 1 Samuel 15:6, Saul spares the Kenites during a military campaign due to their kindness to Israel during the Exodus. The presence of Kenite scribes (Judges 5:14) and the role of Jael (Judges 4:17–22), who defeated Sisera, further reflect their favorable disposition toward Israel and their partial assimilation into Israel’s religious orbit.

This relationship, possibly facilitated by Jethro’s influence, suggests that the Midianites—at least his branch—had some recognition of Jehovah and cooperated with His covenant people at critical moments.

Language, Culture, and Communication

The Midianites, being descendants of Abraham and geographically adjacent to Israelite territory, likely spoke a Semitic language closely related to Hebrew. Judges 7:13–15 recounts how Gideon overheard a Midianite conversation and understood it without an interpreter. This linguistic proximity supports the idea that religious and cultural concepts could be shared or at least understood between the groups.

Even if the Midianites had deviated from pure worship, Jethro’s recognition of Jehovah in Exodus 18 and his wise counsel to Moses about administrative structure (Exodus 18:13–27) show that he retained enough discernment to appreciate divine principles and was used providentially to support Israel’s leader.

Theological Assessment: Jethro’s Priesthood in Relation to Jehovah

While Scripture does not provide extensive details on the theological purity of Jethro’s priesthood, several conclusions can be reasonably drawn:

Jethro served in a patriarchal-priestly role common in his cultural context. As the head of a Midianite tribe, he functioned as a religious leader before God on behalf of his people.
His reverence for Jehovah was sincere, as evidenced in his words and worship in Exodus 18. He is never condemned or corrected by Moses or the narrator for his priesthood.
His influence was constructive, offering wise counsel to Moses and enhancing the administrative organization of Israel—a move Moses implemented with divine approval.
His priesthood did not conflict with Jehovah’s holiness, likely because it operated within the limits of patriarchal revelation and reverence. His role ceased to be referenced after Israel’s formal priesthood was established.

Conclusion

Jethro, the priest of Midian, was a patriarchal spiritual leader in a line of people who descended from Abraham. Though not part of the covenant nation, his knowledge of Jehovah and his respectful interaction with Moses indicate a preserved, if partial, form of worship that aligned at key moments with God’s will. His priesthood functioned in the context of his role as a tribal head and shows that before the formalization of Israel’s religious structure, God-fearing men in other lines could still serve meaningful spiritual functions. Jethro stands as a unique example of a non-Israelite priest who recognized and honored the true God.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).