Phinehas son of Eleazar (Exodus 6:23–25; Numbers 25:1–18; Numbers 31:1–8; Joshua 22:9–34; Joshua 24:33; Judges 20:26–28; 1 Chronicles 6:4; 1 Chronicles 9:20; Ezra 7:5; Psalms 106:28–31)

Son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest

The son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, who took a spear at Baal-peor and stayed the plague, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, went with the army against Midian, was sent to the tribes beyond the Jordan about their altar, and stood before the ark at Bethel.

Exodus names his parentage: “Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas” (Exodus 6:25). He first acts at Shittim, where Israel “joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel” (Numbers 25:3). When an Israelite brought a Midianitish woman to his brethren in the sight of the congregation, Phinehas “rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand” (Numbers 25:7), and “the plague was stayed from the children of Israel” (Numbers 25:8). The LORD told Moses that Phinehas had turned His wrath away and gave him “the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” (Numbers 25:13).

Afterward Moses sent Phinehas with a thousand from every tribe against Midian, “with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand” (Numbers 31:6). When Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar by the Jordan and the whole congregation gathered at Shiloh to go up against them, the children of Israel sent “Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and with him ten princes” (Joshua 22:13-14) to the land of Gilead (Joshua 22:13-14). He heard the answer of the eastern tribes, said, “This day we know that Jehovah is in the midst of us” (Joshua 22:31), and brought the word back to Israel.

In the days when Israel went up against Benjamin, the ark of the covenant of God was at Bethel, and “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days” (Judges 20:28). Eleazar was buried “in the hill of Phinehas his son” (Joshua 24:33). Among the keepers of the gates, Chronicles records that “Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and Jehovah was with him” (1 Chronicles 9:20), and a psalm recalls: “Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment; And so the plague was stayed. And that was reckoned unto him for righteousness, Unto all generations for evermore” (Psalms 106:30-31). Scripture does not record his age or his death.

Strengths

• Jealous for his God

Themes

• Jealousy for God
• Plague stayed
• Covenant of peace
• Everlasting priesthood
• The altar of witness

Born to Eleazar (Exodus 6:23–25)

Eleazar, Aaron's son, takes one of the daughters of Putiel to wife, and she bears him Phinehas.

Takes a spear at Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1–9)

As a plague falls on Israel at Shittim, Phinehas rises from the congregation, takes a spear, and thrusts through an Israelite man and a Midianitish woman; the plague is stayed.

Takes a spear at Baal-peor

Israel abode in Shittim, and “Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel” (Numbers 25:3). Then “one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting” (Numbers 25:6).

“And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel” (Numbers 25:7-8).

“And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand” (Numbers 25:9).

The covenant of peace (Numbers 25:10–15)

The LORD tells Moses that Phinehas has turned His wrath away, and gives him the covenant of peace and of an everlasting priesthood for him and his seed.

The covenant of peace

“And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy” (Numbers 25:10-11).

“Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel” (Numbers 25:12-13).

The slain are then named: Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites, and Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, head of a fathers' house in Midian (Numbers 25:14-15).

Sent with the army against Midian (Numbers 31:1–8)

Moses sends a thousand from every tribe to war against Midian, and Phinehas goes with them carrying the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm.

The altar by the Jordan (Joshua 22:9–34)

When the eastern tribes build an altar by the Jordan, Israel sends Phinehas with ten princes to Gilead; they are pleased with the answer, and he brings word back.

The altar by the Jordan

The children of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh “built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look upon” (Joshua 22:10). “The whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war” (Joshua 22:12), and they sent “Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and with him ten princes” (Joshua 22:13-14). They spoke for “the whole congregation of Jehovah, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel” (Joshua 22:16).

The eastern tribes answered that the altar was “a witness between us and you” (Joshua 22:27). “And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation … heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them well” (Joshua 22:30).

“And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we know that Jehovah is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah” (Joshua 22:31). He and the princes “brought them word again” (Joshua 22:32), and “the children of Israel blessed God” (Joshua 22:33).

Before the ark at Bethel (Judges 20:21–28)

After Benjamin destroys Israelites two days running, Israel weeps and fasts at Bethel and asks the LORD again, with the ark there and Phinehas standing before it.

Before the ark at Bethel

“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah” (Judges 20:26).

“And the children of Israel asked of Jehovah (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up; for to-morrow I will deliver him into thy hand” (Judges 20:27-28).

The hill of Phinehas (Joshua 24:33)

Eleazar the son of Aaron dies and is buried in the hill of Phinehas his son, in the hill-country of Ephraim.

Eleazar (Exodus 6:25; Joshua 24:33; 1 Chronicles 6:4)

His father; Eleazar begat Phinehas and was buried in the hill of Phinehas his son.

Aaron (Numbers 25:7; Judges 20:28)

His grandfather; Phinehas is called the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest.

Abishua (1 Chronicles 6:4; Ezra 7:5)

Moses (Numbers 25:10–13; Numbers 31:6)

The LORD spoke to Moses about Phinehas, and Moses sent him with the army against Midian.

The LORD (Numbers 25:11–13; Psalms 106:30–31)

Gave him His covenant of peace and of an everlasting priesthood; a psalm says his act was reckoned to him for righteousness.

Zimri and Cozbi (Numbers 25:6–8; Numbers 25:14–15)

The man of Israel and the Midianitish woman whom Phinehas thrust through in the pavilion.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 22:13–16; Joshua 22:30–32)

Israel sent him to them about their altar; he heard their answer and said the LORD was in the midst of Israel.

Major sections

• Numbers 25:1–18
• Numbers 31:1–8
• Joshua 22:9–34
• Judges 20:26–28
• Psalms 106:28–31

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