Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PHINEHAS

(Heb. pînĕḥās; Egyp. pʾnḥsy)

1. The son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron (Exod. 6:25), who settled at Gibeah (Josh. 24:33). Ps. 106:30-31 memorializes Phinehas for his righteous act of slaying Zimri for consorting with a Midianite woman in the Israelite camp (Num. 25:1-18). Moses sent Phinehas to accompany the Israelites in battle against the Midianites (Num. 31:6) and later established him as leader of the Korahite gatekeepers (1 Chr. 9:20). Josh. 22:9-34 recounts Phinehas’ role in settling the dispute between the 10 tribes and the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh because of the great altar constructed on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Phinehas’ last recorded act as high priest (Judg. 20:28) occurred during the Benjaminite civil war. Phinehas delivered the oracle of God to the Israelites, instructing them to fight the next day (cf. 1 Esdr. 5:5; Sir. 45:23-24; 1 Macc. 2:26, 54).

2. The younger son of Eli (1 Sam. 1:3; 2 Esdr. 1:2), who defiled himself through sexual intercourse with women serving the shrine at Shiloh and dishonored the Lord by improper sacrifices (1 Sam. 2:15-17, 22-25). The Philistines slew Phinehas and his brother Hophni as they escorted the ark of the covenant at the second battle of Aphek-Ebenezer (4:1b-11). Learning of this disaster, Phinehas’ wife died in premature childbirth, having her son Ichabod, “The glory has departed from Israel.” Later genealogies (Ezra 7:1-2; 1 Chr. 6:4ff.[MT 5:30ff.]; 1 Esdr. 8:1-2) omit this second Phinehas (though they do mention his son Atihub), thereby fulfilling God’s judgment against any of Eli’s future descendants who dishonored the Lord while serving as a priest (1 Sam. 2:30).

3. Father of a postexilic priest (Ezra 8:33), perhaps the Levite named as the father of Eleazar (1 Esdr. 8:2, 63).

Archie W. England

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PHINEHAS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)