THREAD: What happened to Phinehas?
Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron has a celebrated place in history (e.g. Psalm 106:30) for his zeal for God's law.
He famously skewered with his spear a couple caught in flagrante delicto & thus turned away God's indignation from Israel.
Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron has a celebrated place in history (e.g. Psalm 106:30) for his zeal for God's law.
He famously skewered with his spear a couple caught in flagrante delicto & thus turned away God's indignation from Israel.
Interestingly the woman in this couple was Cozbi the woman from Midian.
Her name is probably related to #Akkadian kuzbu which means 'sex appeal':
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzbu
That's an insight into a biblical story you couldn't get till the 19th century when Akkadian is deciphered.
Her name is probably related to #Akkadian kuzbu which means 'sex appeal':
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzbu
That's an insight into a biblical story you couldn't get till the 19th century when Akkadian is deciphered.
I've mentioned Phinehas in relation to another thread, since he's the 3rd generation from Aaron & Moses.
Judges ends with 2 stories set 3 generations from Aaron/Moses & the immediately following book of Ruth likewise is set 3 generations after then:
Judges ends with 2 stories set 3 generations from Aaron/Moses & the immediately following book of Ruth likewise is set 3 generations after then:
Phinehas is specifically timelinked in Judges 20:28 with the Bible's most gory story: the gang-rape in Gibeah, followed by dissection of the victim.
But where did Phinehas come from?
See the last (and therefore climactic) verse of Joshua:
'And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at *Gibeah*, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.' (Joshua 24:33)
See the last (and therefore climactic) verse of Joshua:
'And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at *Gibeah*, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.' (Joshua 24:33)
Consult Wikipedia on Gibeah & it will assure you that this is not the same one as Judges 19:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibeah
After all, there are nice (later) traditions linking Phinehas to Awarta:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awarta
Also it's in the 'hill country of Ephraim'.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibeah
After all, there are nice (later) traditions linking Phinehas to Awarta:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awarta
Also it's in the 'hill country of Ephraim'.
Ah, but 'hill country of Ephraim' in Joshua 24:33 might not mean exactly what we mean now by it.
In Judges 4:5 Deborah was between Bethel & Ramah 'in the hill country of Ephraim'.
+ Gibeah of Judges 19:13 was near Ramah.
In Judges 4:5 Deborah was between Bethel & Ramah 'in the hill country of Ephraim'.
+ Gibeah of Judges 19:13 was near Ramah.
So on grounds of parsimony we can conclude that it's the same Gibeah.
Which leads to the strange conclusion that the city which went most quickly astray was the very city where the person most zealous for the upholding of the law (& sexual mores) was from.
Which leads to the strange conclusion that the city which went most quickly astray was the very city where the person most zealous for the upholding of the law (& sexual mores) was from.
So yet again the biblical narrative is highlighting the speed with which humans go astray.
Not even Phinehas can stop that.
Humans are going to need a different sort of rescuer.
Not even Phinehas can stop that.
Humans are going to need a different sort of rescuer.
