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פִּינְחָס

𐤐𐤉𐤍𐤇𐤎

Pinechas

H6372 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; possibly 'Nubian, dark-skinned'

Definition

Proper name, masculine. Refers to an Israelite individual named Pînchas, most notably the priestly figure known for his deeds in Numbers 25. The meaning traditionally ascribed is uncertain, with some suggestions relating to 'dark-skinned,' 'bronze-colored,' or, based on folk etymology, 'mouth of a serpent,' but there is no consensus. Lexically, this term functions only as a proper name and does not possess a common noun usage in Biblical Hebrew.

Semantic Range

personal name; the name of an Israelite priest; the name of an Israelite contemporary of Eli; the name of a post-exilic Israelite; used in official genealogies and narrative prose; no common noun usage

Root / Etymology

Uncertain. The frequent explanation in later tradition divides פִּינְחָס as a compound of פֶּה (peh, 'mouth') and נָחָשׁ (nachash, 'serpent'), yielding 'mouth of a serpent.' However, this is likely a late or folk etymology and lacks firm linguistic support. Alternative suggestions propose that it may be of Egyptian origin (possibly Pa-nḥsy: 'the Nubian'), which would denote 'the dark-skinned/Ethiopian,' aligning with naming patterns of Israelites in Egypt. However, the Egyptian etymology remains debated, and the internal Hebrew derivation is speculative.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּינְחָס appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several individuals, most prominently a Levitical priest, the grandson of Aharon, playing a central role during the wilderness period (Numbers 25; Joshua 22; Judges 20). The name is also found for a descendant in the post-exilic period (Ezra 8:33; 1 Chronicles 6:4, 50), and a non-priestly individual (1 Samuel 1:3). Although later translations (e.g., Septuagint, English Bibles) render this as 'Phinehas' and sometimes treat the name as typologically significant, the original meaning likely was not transparent to biblical writers or audiences. It is primarily preserved as a personal name, rather than as a semantically meaningful common noun. Contrasts with related priestly names (such as Eleazar) highlight the diverse origins of Israelite names, some of which reflect near-eastern or Egyptian influences. English translations consistently transliterate the name, though the rendering 'Phinehas' follows Greek and Latin forms. In translation traditions, the meaning 'mouth of a serpent' is sometimes supplied, but this is not linguistically substantiated within Hebrew. The name does not carry later connotations associated with pious or righteous individuals unless inferred from narrative context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently from פֶּה and a variation of נָחָשׁ; mouth of a serpent; Pinechas, the name of three Israelites; Phinehas.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — uncertain; possibly Nubian, dark-skinned

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6372-02 פִּֽינְחָ֑ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas 17
H6372-03 וּ֠/פִינְחָס ufinechas HC/Np and Phinehas and Pînchas 7
H6372-01 פִֽינְחָס֙ finechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas 1

Occurrences in Scripture

25 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6372-02 Exodus 6:25 פִּֽינְחָ֑ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Numbers 25:7 פִּֽינְחָס֙ pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Numbers 25:11 פִּֽינְחָ֨ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Numbers 31:6 פִּ֨ינְחָ֜ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Joshua 22:13 פִּינְחָ֖ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Joshua 22:30 פִּֽינְחָ֣ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Joshua 22:31 פִּֽינְחָ֣ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Joshua 22:32 פִּֽינְחָ֣ס pinechas HNp Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-02 Joshua 24:33 פִּֽינְחָ֣ס pinechas HNp of Phinehas Pînchas
H6372-03 Judges 20:28 וּ֠/פִינְחָס ufinechas HC/Np and Phinehas and Pînchas
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