דברי הימים א, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ׳

The figure of Phinehas son of Eleazar stands at a crossroads of historical leadership and divine providence. In the early days of settling the land, he served as the head of the priests, appointed over the families of the Levites and the Korahites, a role he inherited from his father. The primary approach among commentators is that this is the well known Phinehas from the Torah [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. His selection for this high position stemmed from his deep spiritual greatness, as God granted him a covenant of peace and remained with him [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Because he lived an exceptionally long life, spanning over three hundred years from the Exodus from Egypt to the era of the Judges, some scholars even identify him with Elijah the Prophet [רד״ק]. However, a minority opinion suggests this might be a different Phinehas from the tribe of Levi, noting that the original historical Phinehas was known for possessing the Holy Spirit [רד״ק].

A central theme in his life is the tragic spiritual decline he experienced in his later years. Although he once possessed prophecy and the Holy Spirit, this elevated state did not last [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם]. Historical accounts speak of God being with him only in the past, indicating that his spiritual greatness was eventually taken away from him [רד״ק].

Commentators trace the departure of the Divine Presence to two devastating events during the period of the Judges. The first involves the tragedy of the Concubine at Gibeah. In his youth, Phinehas acted with immense bravery to stop a public sin, but during the events in Gibeah, he remained silent. His failure to protest and take action ultimately led to a civil war that cost tens of thousands of Israelite lives [רד״ק].

The second and primary event was his refusal to annul the tragic vow made by Jephthah the Gileadite, which resulted in the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, חומת אנך]. This failure stemmed from a clash of honor and status. Jephthah, acting as the political leader, felt that Phinehas should come to him. Meanwhile, Phinehas, the spiritual leader, believed Jephthah was obligated to seek him out. Strictly according to Jewish law, Phinehas was correct. The annulment of vows requires the person seeking release to humble themselves and submit to the wisdom of the sage, meaning Jephthah had to come to Phinehas for the process to work. Yet, even though the strict letter of the law was on his side, Phinehas was punished severely, as God holds His most pious servants to an exacting standard. He should have taken the initiative, gone to Jephthah, and gently explained the legal process required to save his daughter. Because he chose to do nothing and allowed the tragic situation to remain unchanged, Phinehas lost his divine inspiration [חומת אנך].