Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 10:29

"And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses` father-in-law, We are journeying unto the place of which Jehovah said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel." — Numbers 10:29 (ASV)

Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law. — Raguel is the same as Reuel (Exodus 2:18), and the orthography should be the same in all places. Reuel is commonly supposed to be identical with Jether (Exodus 4:18), or Jethro (Exodus 3:1), who is frequently described as the hothen (in the Authorized Version, “father-in-law”) of Moses (Numbers 18:2, Numbers 18:5–6, and following). But, according to the ordinary rules of Hebrew syntax, Hobab, not Jethro, is here spoken of as the hothen of Moses; and in Judges 4:11 he is expressly so called.

However, since the cognate noun hathan is used to designate any near relation by marriage—as, e.g., the sons-in-law of Lot (Genesis 19:14)—the word hothen may here and in Judges 4:11 be rendered brother-in-law.

Some, however, think that Hobab, whether identical with Jethro or not, was the son of Reuel, and that Zipporah was the daughter of Hobab.

But when it is remembered that more than forty years had passed since Moses left the land of Egypt and came into that of Midian, and that he was now over eighty years of age, it is much more probable that he would seek the aid of a guide through the wilderness from among those of the same generation as Zipporah rather than from those of a generation older than her.

It cannot be positively determined whether Hobab accompanied Jethro on the occasion of the visit to Moses recorded in Exodus 18, while the Israelites were encamped at Sinai, and remained with them after Jethro’s departure (Numbers 10:27), or whether the Israelites had already commenced their journey (compare the words of Moses, We are journeying, or setting forward, with the concluding words of Numbers 10:28, and they set forward, and were at this time passing through the territory in which Hobab, as the chief of a nomad tribe, was living.

We are journeying to the place... — These words imply a strong faith in God’s promise on the part of Moses. They also show a desire, not entirely devoid of reference to mutual advantages, that those with whom he was connected by ties of earthly relationship should share with him and his people in the peculiar blessings promised to the chosen people of God.

In any case, the invitation of Moses, when viewed as the mouthpiece of the Jewish Church, may be regarded as an instructive lesson to the Church of Christ in all ages.

It is both the duty and the privilege of all who have heard and obeyed the Gospel invitation themselves to become instruments of its communication to others. The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come (Revelation 22:17).