Bible Dictionaries
Hobab

Holman Bible Dictionary

(hoh' bab) Personal name meaning, “beloved” or “cunning.” Father-in-law of Moses (Numbers 10:29; Judges 4:11 ). Some uncertainty exists concerning the identity of Moses' father-in-law. Jethro (Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:2 ) and Reuel (Exodus 2:16 ) are also given as names for the father-in-law of the great lawgiver. Several explanations have been offered. Some say different groups within Israel handed down the story of Moses in oral tradition with different names for his father-in-law. Others say Reuel and Jethro were different names for the same person, while Hobab was the son of Reuel or Raguel (Numbers 10:29 ) and thus the brother-in-law of Moses. Others say that the Hebrew term for father-in-law really has the more general meaning of “related by marriage.” Moses urged Hobab to accompany the Israelites through the wilderness as a guide. See Moses; Jethro; Reuel .