Phinehas

The son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron (Exodus 6:25). He was also the father of Abishua (1 Chronicles 6:4, 50). While Eleazar served as high priest, Phinehas was in charge of the gatekeepers of the tabernacle (1 Chronicles 9:20). Eleazer, his father, was in charge of the gatekeepers when Aaron was chief priest (compare Numbers 3:32).

When the Israelites sinned by worshiping Baal of Peor at Shittim, Phinehas became very angry. He killed both an Israelite man and a Midianite woman because of their immoral behavior (Numbers 25:7). After this action, the God was no longer angry with Israel. God made a special agreement (covenant) of peace with Phinehas, promising that he and his descendants would always serve as priests (Numbers 25:11–13). This deed was counted as righteousness for Phinehas for all generations to come (Psalm 106:30). Except for a short time, when Eli served as high priest (compare 1 Samuel 1–3; 14:3), Phinehas and his descendants served as high priests until the Romans destroyed the Jerusalem temple in AD 70.

After the incident with Baal of Peor, Phinehas joined Israel in fighting against the Midianites (Numbers 31:6). After Israel took control of the land of Canaan, Phinehas received the town of Gibeah in the hill country of Ephraim as his inheritance (Joshua 24:33). Later, he was sent with some Israelite leaders to ask about an altar that was built on the west side of the Jordan River by the Israelite tribes living on the east side (Joshua 22:13, 30–32). At another time, at Bethel, Phinehas promised Israel victory in battle against the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20:28). His descendants, Ezra the scribe and Gershom, returned with their families to Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon (Ezra 7:5; 8:2).

One of Eli’s two sons, who served as a priest at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:3). According to 1 Samuel, this Phinehas was a terrible priest. He and his brother Hophni misused the sacrifices people offered (1 Samuel 2:12–17). They disrepected the sanctuary (1 Samuel 2:22). They ignored their father Eli's warnings (1 Samuel 2:25). A man of God told Eli that his son would die (1 Samuel 2:34). Later, during a war with the Philistines, Phinehas was killed on the same day his wife gave birth to their son, who was named Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:11, 17–19; 14:3).

The father of Eleazar. This Eleazar helped Meremoth and the Levites named Jozabad and Noadiah count the temple's valuable metals and containers during the time after the exile in Babylon (Ezra 8:33).