Pinchas פנחס is the name of the 41st weekly parshah of cycle of Torah reading, and the eighth in the Numbers.
The Hebrew expression "One who acts like Zimry and asks for a reward as he were Phinchas" (עושה מעשה זמרי ומבקש שכר כפנחס ) refers to hypocrites who ask for undeserved rewards and honours, derives from the Babylonian Talmud (Sotah, Ch.22, page 2), attributed to the Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus.
Pinchas was the grandson of Aaron, and son of Eleazar the high priest (Exodus 6:25).
Phinchas led the Israelite army against the Midianites, and among those slain were five Midianite kings and Balaam, son of Beor.
According to the Israelite roll-calls, the Israelites did not lose a man in the expedition. (Numbers 31)
Phinchas, son of Eleazar, appears in the book of Joshua, when the tribes of Reuben and Gad, together with the half-tribe of Manasseh, depart to take possession of their lands beyond the Jordan.
They build a great altar on the other side; the remainder of the Israelites mistake this for a separatist move to set up a new religious centre, and send Phinchas to investigate (Joshua 22:9-34).
Phinchas appears as the chief adviser in the war with the Benjamites, and is commemorated in Psalm 106:28-31.
Pinchas' relation to Zadok is (Chronicles 6:4-8): Phinchas begat Abishua, Abishua begat Bukki, Bukki begat Uzzi, Uzzi begat Zerahiah, Zerahiah begat Meraioth, Meraioth begat Amariah, Amariah begat Ahitub, and Ahitub begat Zadok.
According to I Maccabees, Pinchas is the ancestor of Matitiyahu.
He is commemorated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church on September 2.
Variants:
Phinehas
Pinhas