Son of Eleazar, the high priest (Exodus 6:25 ). While yet a youth he distinguished himself at Shittim by his zeal against the immorality into which the Moabites had tempted the people (Numbers 25:1-9 ), and thus "stayed the plague" that had broken out among the people, and by which twenty-four thousand of them perished. For his faithfulness on that occasion he received the divine approbation (10-13). He afterwards commanded the army that went out against the Midianites (31:6-8). When representatives of the people were sent to expostulate with the two and a half tribes who, just after crossing Jordan, built an altar and departed without giving any explanation, Phinehas was their leader, and addressed them in the words recorded in Joshua 22:16-20 . Their explanation follows. This great altar was intended to be all ages only a witness that they still formed a part of Israel. Phinehas was afterwards the chief adviser in the war with the Benjamites. He is commemorated in Psalm 106:30,31 . (See ED .)

One of the sons of Eli, the high priest ( 1 Samuel 1:3; 2:12 ). He and his brother Hophni were guilty of great crimes, for which destruction came on the house of Eli (31). He died in battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:4,11 ); and his wife, on hearing of his death, gave birth to a son, whom she called "Ichabod," and then she died (19-22).

Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Phinehas'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/p/phinehas.html. 1897.

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