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Phinehas

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleHigh priestPriest

Phinehas, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, was a priest known for his zeal in opposing idolatry and turning away God's wrath from Israel.

Phinehas illustration
Phinehas

Biography

Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron through his father Eleazar, stands as one of the Old Testament's most striking examples of zealous devotion to God. When Israel fell into idolatry and sexual immorality with Moabite women at Shittim, God sent a devastating plague upon the people (Numbers 25:1-9). While the congregation wept at the tabernacle entrance, an Israelite man brazenly brought a Midianite woman into the camp. Phinehas rose, took a spear, and struck both of them dead, and the plague was stopped after claiming 24,000 lives (Numbers 25:7-8). God rewarded Phinehas with a covenant of perpetual priesthood, declaring that his zeal had turned away divine wrath and made atonement for Israel (Numbers 25:10-13). He later served as priest during the war against Midian (Numbers 31:6) and mediated the altar dispute with the Transjordan tribes (Joshua 22:13-32).

Significance

Phinehas occupies a unique place in biblical theology as the recipient of God's covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood (Numbers 25:12-13). His decisive action at Shittim became the defining example of righteous zeal, celebrated in Psalm 106:30-31 where it was "credited to him as righteousness," language that echoes the faith of Abraham in Genesis 15:6. Phinehas demonstrates that genuine devotion to God sometimes demands costly, immediate action against sin within the covenant community. His story foreshadows the priestly work of mediation and atonement that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. The covenant granted to Phinehas ensured the continuation of the Aaronic priesthood through the Zadokite line, shaping Israel's worship for centuries.

Verse Appearances (16)

References

  1. Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
  2. Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
  3. Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
  4. Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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