Skeptics often point to the differing names given for Moses' father-in-law—Reuel (Exodus 2:18), Jethro (Exodus 3:1), and Hobab (Judges 4:11)—as a contradiction. However, this is actually an example of the usual Ancient Near Eastern practice of using multiple names and titles for persons according to context.

'Reuel' means 'friend of God' and is most likely a proper name. However, the Hebrew word used for 'father' in relation to Reuel is 'ab, which also refers to the chief patriarch of a clan. Reuel, as the chief patriarch, was the one who arranged marriages for his female descendants. He was most likely a grandfather (or perhaps great-grandfather), a relationship that the flexible father/daughter terminology in ancient Hebrew comfortably allows.

'Jethro' actually means 'his excellence'. This is a title of honor rather than a personal name as we are accustomed to thinking today.

That leaves 'Hobab' in Judges. Hobab is what we would call, exclusively and legally, Moses' actual father-in-law. Numbers 10:29 confirms this relationship: 'And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law...' Raguel is merely a linguistic variation of Reuel. This demonstrates that Reuel was the lead patriarch, and Hobab was his son and Moses' direct father-in-law.