Phinehas פִּינְחָס
Wicked son of Eli the priest
Biography
Phinehas was one of the two sons of Eli, the priest who served in the tabernacle at Shiloh (1Sa.1.3). Along with his brother Hophni, Phinehas was described as a worthless man who did not know the Lord (1Sa.2.12). They abused their priestly duties by taking more than their share of the sacrificial meat and engaging in sexual immorality with the women who served at the entrance of the tabernacle (1Sa.2.13-17, 22).
Eli rebuked his sons for their wicked behavior, but they did not listen (1Sa.2.22-25). As a result, a prophecy was given to Eli that his two sons would die on the same day (1Sa.2.34). This prophecy was fulfilled when the Philistines defeated the Israelites in battle, captured the Ark of the Covenant, and killed Hophni and Phinehas (1Sa.4.11). Upon hearing the news of his sons' deaths and the capture of the Ark, Eli fell backward, broke his neck, and died (1Sa.4.17-18). Phinehas' wife, who was pregnant, went into labor and died after giving birth to a son named Ichabod, which means "the glory has departed from Israel" (1Sa.4.19-22).
Family
Parents
In Scripture
1 biblical book1 Samuel 5 verses
- 1 Samuel 1:3
"This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there."
- 1 Samuel 2:34
"This will be the sign to you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will both die."
- 1 Samuel 4:4
"So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God."
- 1 Samuel 4:11
"God’s ark was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain."
- 1 Samuel 4:17
"He who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and God’s ark has been captured.”"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | פִּינְחָס | H6372H |
Phinehas
sisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.5">Ezr 7:5, where he is seen to be an ancestor of Ezra). He took a leading part in cleansing Israel from whoredom at Shittim. He there punished the brazen licentiousness of Zimri, prince of Sirecon, by slaying both him and the Midianite woman he had brought into camp (Nu 25:6-18). This incident is referred to in Ps 106:30,31 (compare 1 Macc 2:26,54; Sirach 45:23,24). As priest he accompanied the expedition sent by Moses against Midjan (Nu 31:6). He was chief of the Korahite Levites (1Ch 9:20), and succeeded his father as high priest. While he was in that office the civil war with Benjamin occurred, and it was he who delivered the oracle's decision to fight Benjamin (Jud 20:28). His faithful services secured to his house the succession of the priesthood (Nu 25:11-13). He was sent as ambassador to inquire into the reported idolatry of Reuben, Gad and part of Manasseh (Jos 22:13ff, 30-32). According to Septuagint he was buried with his father in Ephraim on the hill Gibeah Phinehas (see Jos 24:33). His character was marked with strong moral indignation and fine integrity.
(2) The younger son of Eli (1Sa 1:3; 2 Esdras 1:2, "Phinees").
See HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS.
(3) Father of a priest named Eleazar (Ezr 8:33; compare Ezr 8:2; 1 Esdras 8:63, "Phinees").
Henry Wallace
fin'-o-e (Phinoe; the King James Version Phinees): Name of one of the families of temple-servants who went up from Babylon with Zerubbabel (1 Esdras 5:31) equals "Paseah" of Ezr 2:49</ref