Original Word: פִינְחָס
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Piynchac
Pronunciation: pee-nekh-as
Phonetic Spelling: (pee-nekh-aws')
KJV: Phinehas
NASB: Phinehas, Phinehas'
Word Origin: [apparently from H6310 (פֶּה - mouth) and a variation of H5175 (נָחָשׁ - serpent)]

1. mouth of a serpent
2. Pinechas, the name of three Israelites

Phinehas

Apparently from peh and a variation of nachash; mouth of a serpent; Pinechas, the name of three Israelites -- Phinehas.

see HEBREW peh

see HEBREW nachash

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
three Isr.
NASB Translation
Phinehas (24), Phinehas' (1).

מִּינְחָס₂₅ proper name, masculine (Egyptian Pe-nehasi, the negro, according to Lauth^{Moses (1868). 71, ZMG xxv (1871), 130 f.} compare Nes^{Eg 112,} AJSL xiii (1897) 174 Baen^{Exodus 6:25}, yet see Di); —

1 grandson of Aaron, Φ(ε)ινεες, Exodus 6:25; Numbers 25:7 16t.

2 son of Eli 1 Samuel 1:3 ( מְִּנְחָס), 1 Samuel 2:34; 1 Samuel 4:4,11,17,19; 1 Samuel 14:3.

Principal Bearers of the Name

1. Phinehas son of Eleazar, grandson of Aaron (Exodus 6:25); a high-priestly figure whose zeal preserved Israel.
2. Phinehas son of Eli, brother of Hophni, a priest at Shiloh whose wickedness hastened divine judgment (1 Samuel 1:3).
3. Additional genealogical references link the name to later priests and Levites (1 Chronicles 6:4; Ezra 7:5).

Phinehas, Son of Eleazar

Exodus situates him in the third generation of the Aaronic line, making him heir to the high-priestly dignity. From Numbers through Judges he emerges as the chief religious marshal of Israel’s early national life.

Priestly Zeal at Baal Peor

Numbers 25 records the critical moment that defined his legacy. Confronted with Israel’s apostasy, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw this, … took a spear in his hand” (Numbers 25:7). His decisive action halted the plague and drew this divine commendation: “Phinehas … has turned My wrath away from the Israelites because he was zealous for My honor” (Numbers 25:11). The covenant language that follows is unique among individuals: “I hereby grant him My covenant of peace. It will be a covenant of perpetual priesthood for him and his descendants” (Numbers 25:12-13). Psalm 106:30 celebrates the event: “But Phinehas stood and intervened, and the plague was restrained.”

Covenant of Perpetual Priesthood

The “covenant of peace” secured the continuity of the Aaronic line through Phinehas, later confirmed in genealogies (1 Chronicles 6:4-5) and in Ezra’s own ancestry (Ezra 7:5). The blessing underscores themes of atonement, intercession, and righteous zeal that anticipate the final priesthood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7).

Role in Holy War and Settlement

When Midian was judged, “Moses sent … Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the trumpets for signaling” (Numbers 31:6). His presence assured ritual purity in warfare. Later, as Canaan was apportioned, Phinehas headed the delegation that investigated the altar erected by the Transjordan tribes (Joshua 22:13-32). His discernment preserved national unity: “Today we know that the LORD is among us” (Joshua 22:31).

Mediator in Tribal Dispute

Phinehas’ diplomacy in Joshua 22 revealed a priest who combined zeal with patience, guarding both orthodoxy and fellowship. He first confronted perceived apostasy, then rejoiced when the altar proved a witness, not an idol—a model of balanced leadership.

Guardianship of the Sanctuary at Shiloh

During the Benjamite crisis, “Phinehas son of Eleazar … was ministering before it in those days” (Judges 20:28). From Shiloh he sought the LORD’s counsel, illustrating that priestly intercession anchored Israel’s appeals for guidance.

Phinehas in the Chronicles and Ezra

1 Chronicles 9:20 testifies, “Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him.” The Chronicler’s emphasis on temple service shows the endurance of Phinehas’ covenant. Centuries later the exiles still traced priestly legitimacy through him (Ezra 8:2, 33), confirming that divine promises outlived national exile.

Phinehas, Son of Eli

In contrast stands the second Phinehas. Though bearing a hallowed name, he and Hophni “were priests to the LORD” yet “slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting” (1 Samuel 2:22). God pronounced the sign: “Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day” (1 Samuel 2:34). When “the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli … died” (1 Samuel 4:11), the glory departed from Israel. His lineage ended with Ichabod, a living reminder of lost glory (1 Samuel 4:19-22). The sharp moral contrast between the two Phinehases warns that priestly office cannot substitute for personal holiness.

Other Bearers and Genealogical Notes

• A later Phinehas served as father to Eleazar, who weighed temple treasures after the return (Ezra 8:33).
• The descendants of Phinehas yielded able gatekeepers (1 Chronicles 9:20) and diligent scribes (Ezra 8:2), underscoring ongoing covenant faithfulness.

Theological Significance

1. Zeal for God’s holiness brings peace (Numbers 25:12) and averts wrath; indifference invites judgment (1 Samuel 4).
2. The continuity of priestly service from Sinai through the Second Temple era exhibits the reliability of divine covenants.
3. Phinehas’ mediatorial role prefigures the ultimate High Priest whose one act simultaneously ends wrath and secures everlasting peace.

Lessons for Faith and Practice

• Righteous indignation must be governed by covenant loyalty, combining decisive action with pastoral discernment.
• Spiritual heritage is a gift to steward, not a shield against sin.
• God honors bold intercession; one faithful priest restrained a plague and preserved a nation.

וּ֠פִינְחָס וּפִ֣ינְחָ֔ס וּפִ֣נְחָ֔ס וּפִֽינְחָ֑ס וּפִֽינְחָ֣ס וּפִֽינְחָֽס׃ ופינחס ופינחס׃ ופנחס פִּ֨ינְחָ֜ס פִּֽ֭ינְחָס פִּֽינְחָ֑ס פִּֽינְחָ֔ס פִּֽינְחָ֖ס פִּֽינְחָ֣ס פִּֽינְחָ֥ס פִּֽינְחָ֨ס פִּֽינְחָס֙ פִּינְחָ֖ס פִּינְחָ֨ס פִּינְחָס֮ פִֽינְחָס֙ פינחס fineChas pî·nə·ḥās p̄î·nə·ḥās pinChas Pinchos pineChas pînəḥās p̄înəḥās ū·p̄î·nə·ḥās ū·p̄in·ḥās uFinChas Ufinchos uFineChas ūp̄înəḥās ūp̄inḥāsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts