Phinehas was a priest and the third High Priest of Israel, serving as the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron. He is recognized in the Hebrew Bible for his decisive actions during the Exodus period. While at Shittim, he demonstrated intense religious zeal by executing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman to prevent the spread of idolatry and immorality among the Israelites. This act was credited with halting a plague that had afflicted the community, leading to a divine covenant of peace and a permanent hereditary priesthood for his lineage.