They are called Allophyli, “foreigners,” in the Septuagint, and in the
Books of Samuel they are spoken of as uncircumcised. It would therefore
appear that they were not of the Semitic race, though after their
establishment in Canaan they adopted the Semitic language of the country.
We learn from the Old Testament that they came from Caphtor, usually
supposed to be Crete. From Philistia the name of the land of the
Philistines came to be extended to the whole of “Palestine.” Many scholars
identify the Philistines with the Pelethites of 2 Samuel 8:18.
- PHINEHAS mouth of brass, or from old Egypt, the negro. (1.) Son of
Eleazar, the high priest (Exodus 6:25). While yet a youth he distinguished
himself at Shittim by his zeal against the immorality into which the
Moabites had tempted the people (Numbers 25:1-9), and thus “stayed the
plague” that had broken out among the people, and by which twenty-four
thousand of them perished. For his faithfulness on that occasion he
received the divine approbation (10-13). He afterwards commanded the
army that went out against the Midianites (31:6-8). When representatives
of the people were sent to expostulate with the two and a half tribes who,
just after crossing Jordan, built an altar and departed without giving any
explanation, Phinehas was their leader, and addressed them in the words
recorded in Joshua 22:16-20. Their explanation follows. This great altar
was intended to be all ages only a witness that they still formed a part of
Israel. Phinehas was afterwards the chief adviser in the war with the
Benjamites. He is commemorated in Psalm 106:30, 31. (See ED.)
(2.) One of the sons of Eli, the high priest (1 Samuel 1:3; 2:12). He and his
brother Hophni were guilty of great crimes, for which destruction came on
the house of Eli (31). He died in battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:4,
11); and his wife, on hearing of his death, gave birth to a son, whom she
called “Ichabod,” and then she died (19-22).