daughter of Putiel
The daughter of Putiel was the wife of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest.
Biography
The daughter of Putiel is identified in Exodus 6:25 as the wife of Eleazar, the third son of Aaron the high priest. Her father Putiel's identity has been debated by ancient rabbinical commentators, some linked the name to Jethro (Putiel being a variant), while others connected it to Joseph. Though Scripture records no words or deeds of her own, her union with Eleazar made her the mother of Phinehas, the zealous priest whose intervention at Baal-Peor stayed a divine plague (Numbers 25:7–8). She thus stood at the root of the high-priestly lineage that would govern Israelite worship for generations. Her story illustrates how unnamed women often served as essential links in the chain of redemptive history.
Significance
The daughter of Putiel's theological importance lies primarily in her son Phinehas, through whom God established a covenant of perpetual priesthood (Numbers 25:12–13). By marrying into Aaron's priestly family, she became a bridge between the broader population of Israel and the sacred office of the high priest. Her life reminds readers that God's redemptive purposes frequently advance through individuals whose names history does not preserve but whose roles are indispensable. She exemplifies how faithfulness within ordinary family structures can sustain the very institutions through which God mediates his presence to his people.
Verse Appearances (1)
Exod
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]