Phinehas

also known as: Phineas

Meaning: mouth of brass, or from old Egypt, the negro

This was the name of 2 Biblical men.

  1. Phineas, 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 a witness to all ages 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.)

    The high priest Zadok is a descendant of Phinehas.

  2. Phinehas, a son 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).

Article Version: March 13, 2019