Phinehas (1)

1. PHINEHAS, or as the Jews pronounce it, Pinchas, Son of Eleazar, and Grandson of Aaron. He was the third High -priest of the Jews, and discharged this Office from the Year of the World 2571, ‘till towards the Year 2590, before Christ 1410, before the vulgar Era 1414. He is particularly commended in Scripture for the Zeal he shew’d in vindicating the Glory of God, when the Midianites had sent their Daughters into the Camp of Israel, to tempt the Hebrews to Fornication and Idolatry. For Zimri having publickly enter’d into the Tent of a Midianitish Woman named Cozbi, Phinehas rose up from among the People,¹ took a Poniard in his Hand, enter’d after Zimri into that infamous Place, and stabb’d both Man and Woman at one Blow, in those Parts that were chiefly concern’d in this criminal Commerce. Upon which the Plague or Distemper ceas’d,² with which the Lord had already begun to punish the Israelites.

Then the Lord said to Moses; Phinehas the Son of Eleazar the High-priest has turn’d away my Wrath from the Children of Israel, because he has been zealous in my Cause, and has hinder’d me from destroying them. Wherefore acquaint him, that I give him my Covenant of Peace, and the Priesthood shall be given to his Posterity by a perpetual Covenant, because he has been zealous for his God, and has made Atonement for the Crime of the Children of Israel. This Promise that the Lord made to Phinehas, to give him the Priesthood by a perpetual Covenant, evidently included this tacit Condition, that his Children should continue faithful and obedient;³ since we know that the Priesthood passed out of the Family of Eleazar and Phinehas to that of Ithamar, and that it return’d not to the Posterity of Eleazar ‘till after about an hundred and fifty Years.

This is what we find concerning the Translation of the High-priesthood from one Family to the other. This Dignity continued in the Race of Phinehas, from Aaron down to the High-priest Eli, for about three hundred and thirty-five Years. a The Manner and Causes of this Change are unknown. It re-enter’d again into the Family of Eleazar under the Reign of Saul, when this Prince having put to death Abimelech, and the other Priests of Nob, he gave the High-priesthood to Zadok, who was of the Race of Phinehas. At the same Time David had Abiathar with him, of the Race of Eli, who perform’d the Functions of High-priest. So that after the Death of Saul, David continued the Priesthood to Zadok and Abiathar conjunctly. But towards the End of David’s Reign, Abiathar having espoused the Interests of Adonijah to the Prejudice of Solomon, he was in Disgrace, and Zadok only acknowledged as High-priest. The Priesthood continued in his Family ‘till after the Captivity of Babylon, and even to the Destruction of the Temple. But from the Beginning of Zadok’s Priesthood alone, and the Exclusion of Abiathar, to the Ruin of the Temple, is a thousand fourscore and four Years.⁴

We read also another memorable Action of Phinehas in which he still shew’d his Zeal for the Lord. ‘Twas when the Israelites that were beyond Jordan⁵ had raised upon the Banks of this River a vast Heap of Earth; those on the other Side fearing they were going to forsake the Lord, and to set up another Religion, deputed Phinehas and other chief Men amongst them, to go and inform themselves of the Reason of their erecting this Monument. Who when they had found, that it was only in Commemoration of their Union and common Original; Phinehas took Occasion from hence to praise the Lord, saying; We now know that the Lord is with us, since you are not guilty of that Prevarication we suspected you were.

This is the Commendation that Jesus the Ecclus. xlv. 23.Son of Sirach gives of Phinehas. The third in Glory is Phinees the Son of Eleazar, because he had Zeal in the Fear of the Lord, and stood up with good Courage of Heart, when the People were turned back, and made Reconciliation for Israel. Therefore was there a Covenant of Peace made with him, that he should be the chief of the Sanctuary and of his People, and that he and his Posterity should have the Dignity of the Priesthood for ever. According to the Covenant made with David Son of Jesse, of the Tribe of Judah, that the Inheritance of the King should be to his Posterity alone; so the Inheritance of Aaron should also be unto his Seed. God give you Wisdom in your Heart, to judge his People in Righteousness, that their good Things be not abolished, and that their Glory may endure Judg. xvii. 6. xviii. 1. xxi. 24. Judg. xx. 28.for ever.

We do not exactly know the Time of the Death of Phinehas. But as he lived after the Death of Joshua, and before the first Servitude under Chushan-rishathaim, during the Time that there were neither Kings nor Judges in the Land, and every one did what was right in his own Eyes; his Death is put about the Year of the World 2590, before Christ 1410, before the vulgar Era 1414. ‘Twas under his Pontificate that the Story of Micah happen’d, as also that of the Tribe of Dan, when they made a Conquest of Laish, and the Enormity that was committed upon the Wife of the Levite of the Mountain of Ephraim. Phinehas’s Successor in the High-priesthood was Abiezar Chronic. Euseb. ad an. 1760. Vide Orig. t. 7. in Johan. Auth. Tradit. Heb. in 1 Reg. ii.or Abishuah.

The Rabbins allow a very long Life to Phinehas. There are those that believe he lived to the Time of the High-priest Eli, or even to the Time of Sampson. Others will have it, that he was the same as Eli, or rather as the Prophet Elias, which would still prolong his Life for some Ages. The Author of the Hebrew Traditions upon the Book of Kings, says that the Jews are of Opinion, that the Man of God who came to the High-priest Eli from the Lord, to reproach him with his Indolence concerning the Government of his Sons, was no other than Phinehas. Some make him live as far as the Time of David, others to the Time of Samuel;⁶ but there is great Probability that they mean nothing else, but that in the Person of the Prophet Elijah was to be seen all the Zeal of the High-priest Phinehas; in like manner as the Angel said, that John the Baptist should come in the Spirit, and with the Zeal of Elijah.⁷ The Jews believed a kind of Transmigration of the Souls of good Men. See the Commentators upon Matth. xvi. 14. and Lightfoot, Harmon. par. 2. to John i. 20, 21. p. 386.

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