Biblical Parallels Overview – Shemot 18

Yitro's reunion with Moshe shares elements with various stories in Tanakh. These can be divided into three categories – see general discussion of Biblical Parallels:

• Possibly the same event told over in different accounts:
  • Appointments of Assistants for Moshe in Shemot 18, Bemidbar 11, and Devarim 1
  
  
• Different events which share similarities in their story lines, but not in their language. In these cases, the parallels serve as a useful device for analyzing the texts, even if they don't reveal conscious authorial intent.
  • Encounters with Foreign Leaders
  • Father-in-law and Son-in-law Relationships
  
  
• Different stories which have both language and content parallels. In these cases, the similarities may shed light on the messages the Torah is attempting to convey.
  • Yitro and Amalek
  • Yitro and Bilam