According to theHebrew Bible,Phinehas (also spelledPhineas,/ˈfɪniəs/;Hebrew:פִּינְחָס,Modern: Pīnḥas,Tiberian: Pīnəḥās,Ancient Greek:Φινεες[1]Phinees,Latin:Phinees)[2] was apriest during theIsraelites'Exodus journey. The grandson ofAaron and son ofEleazar, the High Priests (Exodus 6:25), he distinguished himself as a youth atShittim with hiszeal against theheresy of Peor.
Displeased with the immorality with which theMoabites andMidianites had successfully tempted the Israelites (Numbers 25:1–9) to inter-marry and to worshipBaal-peor, Phinehas personally executed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman while they were together in the man's tent, running a javelin or spear through the man and the belly of the woman, bringing to an end the plague sent byYahweh to punish the Israelites for sexuallyintermingling with the Midianites.
Phinehas is commended byYahweh in Numbers 25:10–13, as well as King David inPsalm 106 (Psalms 106:28–31) for having stopped Israel's fall intoidolatrous practices brought in by Midianite women, as well as for stopping the desecration ofYahweh's sanctuary. After the entry to the land of Israel and the death of his father, he was appointed the thirdHigh Priest of Israel, and served at the sanctuary of Bethel (Judges 20:28).[3]
The name "Phinehas" probably comes from theEgyptian namePa-nehasi (pꜣ-nḥsj).[4][5] According to theOxford Companion to the Bible, "the Bible also uses Egyptian and Nubian names for the land and its people. ... For the Egyptians used to these color variations, the term for their southern neighbors was Neḥesi, 'southerner', which eventually also came to mean 'the black' or 'the Nubian'. This Egyptian root (nḥsj, with the preformative pʾ as a definite article) appears in Exodus 6.25 as the personal name of Aaron's grandson, Phinehas (=Pa-neḥas)".[6]The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament interprets the name to mean "the bronze-colored one".[7]
The account appears immediately after the story ofBalaam, who had been hired by the Moabite chieftain,Balak, to curse the Israelites. Balaam failed to do so, asYahweh put words in his mouth of blessing for Israel, instead (the first prayer said by Jews as part of their daily prayer service comes from this exact text). Having failed to curse them, Balaam left for his own country. TheBook of Numbers asserts a direct connection between Balaam and the events at Peor, stating that the Moabites "caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor".[8]
Moses gave orders to kill all the idolaters, yetZimri, the son of theIsraelite prince Salu from theTribe of Simeon, openly defied Moses and publicly showed his opinion to those standing at theTabernacle entrance with Moses by going in toCozbi, the daughter of theMidianite prince Sur. In a moment of great strength born ofholy zeal, Phinehas went after them and ran them through with a spear. He thus "stayed the plague" that had broken out among the people, and by which twenty-four thousand of them had already perished.[9]
Yahweh noticed that Phinehas showed loyalty and bravery for him.Yahweh decided not to destroy all of the children of Israel in anger because Phinehas had made atonement for their sins.Yahweh declared that Phinehas, and his sons' sons for all eternity, would receive divine recognition for this; a covenant of peace and the covenant of an everlasting hereditary priesthood.[10]
The Christianbook of Revelation mirrors this sentiment.[11] Revelation describesJesus as speaking to one of seven Christian churches: "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed toidols and by committingsexual immorality."
Giving a more elaborated version of events, the 1st-century Romano-Jewish historianFlavius Josephus asserts that Balaam sent for Balak and the princes of Midian and told them that, if they wished to bring evil upon Israel, they would have to make the Israelites sin. Balaam advised that they send the most beautiful women to seduce the Israelites to idolatry. This strategy succeeded, and soon many of the Israelites had been seduced.[12]
Phinehas later led a 12,000-strong Israelite army against the Midianites to avenge this occasion. Among those slain in the expedition were five Midianite kings, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, and alsoBalaam, son of Beor.[13] According to the Israelite roll-calls, the Israelites did not lose a man in the expedition.
Phinehas son of Eleazar appears again in thebook of Joshua. When the tribes ofReuben andGad, together with thehalf-tribe of Manasseh, depart to take possession of their landsbeyond the Jordan, they build agreat altar on the other side; the remainder of the Israelites mistake this for a separatist move to set up a new religious centre, and send Phinehas to investigate.[14]
According toJoshua 24:33, Phinehas owned land in the mountains of Ephraim, where he buried his father.[15]
In addition to these episodes, Phinehas appears as the chief adviser in the war with theBenjamites. He is commemorated inPsalms 106:28–31. According to some rabbinical commentators, Phineas sinned due to his not availing his servitude of Torah instruction to the masses at the time leading up to theBattle of Gibeah.[16] In addition, he also failed to address the needs of relievingJephthah of hisvow to sacrifice his daughter.[17] As consequence, the high priesthood was taken from him and temporarily given to the offspring ofIthamar, essentiallyEli and his sons.[18]
According to1 Chronicles 6:35–38, his relation toZadok is the following: Phinehas begatAbishua, Abishua begatBukki, Bukki begatUzzi, Uzzi begatZerahiah, Zerahiah begatMeraioth, Meraioth begatAmariah, Amariah begat Ahitub, and Ahitub begat Zadok.[19]
According to1 Maccabees, he is an ancestor ofMatitiyahu.[20][21]
| Patrilineal descent |
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Pinechas is the name of the41st weeklyParashah or portion in the annual Jewish cycle ofTorah reading and the eighth in the book ofNumbers. The beginning of this parashah tells the judgement of Phinehas son of Eleazar; the end of the previous parashah tells of his zealous act.
The Hebrew expression "One who acts likeZimri and asks for a reward as if he were Phinehas" (עושה מעשה זמרי ומבקש שכר כפנחס) refers tohypocrites who ask for undeserved rewards and honors. It derives from theBabylonian Talmud (Sotah, Ch.22, p. 2), where it is attributed to theHasmonean KingAlexander Jannaeus (see Hebrew Wikipediaעושה מעשה זמרי ומבקש שכר כפנחס).
In some traditions (for example in theTargum Pseudo-Jonathan)[22] Phinehas is identified withElijah. This identification apparently arose during the first century A.D.[23]
Phinehas | |
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| Righteous, High Priest of Israel | |
| Honored in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | 1 July, 1 March (Roman Catholic Church) 12 March (Eastern Orthodox Church) |
TheRoman Catholic Church commemorates him as a saint on 1 July and 1 March.[24] TheEastern Orthodox Church commemorates him as a saint on 12 March (25 March on theNew Calendar).[25][26]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)According to Jewish tradition,...the place is called Giv'at Phinehas (the hill of Phinehas) and it is where the High Priest Eleazar ben Aaron was buried (Joshua 24:33)
| Israelite religious titles | ||
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| Preceded by | High Priest of Israel Years unknown | Succeeded by |
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