the Third Week after Easter
Click to donate today!
Bible Encyclopedias
Phinehas
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or Phin´ehas, (mouth of brass), son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the high-priest. An incident which illustrates the zealous and somewhat passionate character of Phinehas, occurred before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. The Israelites were encamped in the plains of Moab, and were lamenting the sin into which they had been seduced by the Midianites, when a prince of Judah named Zimri was beheld conducting a woman of Midian named Cozbi to his tent. The licentious effrontery of this act kindled the wrath of Phinehas, who hastened after them into the tent, and transfixed them both with his javelin (, sq.). This bold act pointed out Phinehas to Moses as a proper person to accompany as priest the expedition which was immediately after sent forth, under the command of Joshua, against the Midianites, and by which the cause of the deluded Israelites was abundantly avenged (, sq.). After the conquest of the Promised Land, when the warriors of the two and half tribes beyond the Jordan were permitted to return to their homes, Phinehas was at the head of the deputation sent after them to inquire and remonstrate concerning the altar which, on their way, they had set up on the bank of the Jordan; and it was he doubtless who pronounced the forcible address to the supposed offenders. He was certainly the first to express his satisfaction and joy at the explanation which was given, and which, with a lightened heart, he bore back to the tribes assembled at Shiloh (, sq.).
It appears that while his father lived Phinehas filled the post of superintendent or chief of the Levites, probably after Eleazar became high-priest (; ). At the death of his father he succeeded to the pontificate (); but the only case in which he appears officially in the Bible is in connection with the unhappy circumstances recorded at the end of the book of Judges, in which he comes forward as high-priest to consult Jehovah. This mention of his name enables us to conclude that the chronological place of these occurrences would be rather towards the beginning than at the latter end of the book in which they are found [JUDGES; PRIEST].
Phinehas, 2
Phinehas, son of Eli the high-priest, and brother of Hophni [ELI; HOPHNI; SAMUEL].
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Phinehas'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/p/phinehas.html.
