SOL Search

A man both greater in other respects than the younger men and surpassing his contemporaries in the worthiness of his father. For he was the son of Eleazar the high priest, and the son of the daughter of Moses' brother. Being greatly troubled by what was done by Zimri, before his insolence became stronger from impunity, he decided to exact justice for these [deeds] and to prevent the lawlessness from spreading to more [people], if the leaders were not being punished. Both in boldness of soul and courage of body he was so outstanding that if he undertook any dangerous [deeds] he would not leave off before he fought it through and took victory in it. Coming to Zimri's tent, striking him with his sword he killed him and Chasbith [Cozbi].[1] But all the young men who had a claim to virtue and love of the good, imitating Phinehas' daring, slew those who had been guilty of deeds like those of Zimri. So many of the law-breakers were destroyed by the courage of these men, but all perished also from a plague, God having inflicted the disease on them. But all died who being relatives [who ought] to prevent urged them on to these deeds, as God judged them guilty. So of the ranks not less than 4600 perished.[2] Being provoked for this cause, Moses sent the army for the destruction of the Midianites.

*finee/s, a)nh\r ta/ te a)/lla krei/ttwn tw=n newte/rwn, kai\ tw=| tou= patro\s a)ciw/mati tou\s h(likiw/tas u(pere/xwn. *)eleaza/rou ga\r tou= a)rxiere/ws ui(o\s h)=n, *mwu+se/ws de\ a)delfou= paido\s ui(o/s: o(\s perialgh/sas toi=s pepragme/nois u(po\ *zambri/, kai\ pri\n i)sxurote/ran gene/sqai th\n u(/brin u(po\ th=s a)dei/as, e)/rgw| th\n di/khn au)tw=n ei)spra/casqai diagnou\s kai\ kwlu/sai diabh=nai th\n paranomi/an ei)s plei/onas, tw=n a)rcame/nwn ou) kolazome/nwn, to/lmh| de\ kai\ yuxh=s kai\ sw/matos a)ndrei/a| tosou=ton proe/xwn w(s mh\ pro/teron, ei)/ tini sustai/h tw=n deinw=n, a)palla/ttesqai pri\n h)\ katagwni/sasqai kai\ ni/khn th\n e)p' au)tw=| labei=n, e)pi\ th\n tou= *zambri\ skhnh\n parageno/menos au)to/n te pai/wn th=| r(omfai/a| kai\ to\n *xosbi/an a)pe/kteinen. oi( de\ ne/oi pa/ntes, oi(=s a)reth=s a)ntipoi/hsis h)=n kai\ tou= filokalei=n, mimhtai\ geno/menoi th=s *finee\s to/lmhs, a)nh/|roun tou\s e)pi\ toi=s o(moi/ois *zambri\ th\n ai)ti/an ei)lhfo/tas. a)po/lluntai me\n ou)=n kai\ u(po\ th=s tou/twn a)ndragaqi/as polloi\ tw=n paranomhsa/ntwn, e)fqa/rhsan de\ pa/ntes kai\ loimw=|, tau/thn e)nskh/yantos au)toi=s tou= qeou= th\n no/son. o(/soi te suggenei=s o)/ntes kwlu/ein e)cw/trunon au)tou\s e)pi\ tau=ta, a)dikei=n tw=| qew=| dokou=ntes a)pe/qnhskon. a)po/lluntai me\n ou)=n e)k tw=n ta/cewn a)/ndres ou)k e)la/ttous #22d# kai\ x#. u(po\ de\ tau/ths parocunqei\s th=s ai)ti/as *mwu+sh=s e)pi\ to\n *madihnitw=n o)/leqron th\n stratia\n e)ce/pempe.

For this Phinehas cf. under lambda 739 and chi 417. (Not to be confused with the one under eta 206, a homonym.) In the Septuagint see Exodus 6.25, Numbers 25.7 & 11, etc.
The present entry, drawn from Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 4.152-156 (web address 1), centers on the so-called Heresy of Peor.
[1] Daughter of Zur the Midianite (here wrongly given the masculine definite article; see also chi 417).
[2] This figure varies in the different Suda mss; note in any case that Josephus gives it as 14,000 (and Numbers 25.9 LXX as 24,000).

Suda On Line Search