And Phinehas son of Eleazar was the chief officer over them in time past; the Lord was with him. This means: Phinehas son of Eleazar was chief officer over the Korahite family in time past, in the days of their ancestors, just as his father Eleazar was in charge of them, as the text says, “In charge of the duties … Eleazar son of Aaron the priest” (cf. Num 3:32; 4:16). Eleazar’s son Phinehas continued to be chief after him: because the Lord was with Phinehas and he was greater than the sons of Ithamar, he was chief over them his whole life. Some of our Sages, of blessed memory (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 47), say that Phinehas is the same as Elijah. And it is indeed true that Phinehas lived for a long time. For he was among those who left Egypt (Exodus 6:25); and in the days of the concubine at Gibeah, more than three hundred years after the exodus from Egypt, we see that he was still alive, as the text says there, “and Phinehas son of Eleazar …” (Judg 20:28). In a midrashic vein, our Sages, of blessed memory (Genesis Rabbah 60:3), say that the Divine Presence left him because he did not annul Jephtah’s vow, and that this is why the text says “was the chief officer over them”—not “is … over them,” but “was … over them.” And concerning [the phrase], “in time past the Lord was with him,” they say (y. Yoma 5a): “‘In time past the Lord was with him,’ for in the days of Zimri he protested (Numbers 25:7–8), whereas in the days of the concubine at Gibeah (Judg 19–21) he did not protest.” That is, because in the days of Zimri the Lord was with him, he had the strength to protest; so he did so. In fact, because the Lord was with him and he had the strength to protest, there was atonement for Israel in they did not die out in the days of Zimri. But in the days of the concubine at Gibeah he did not have the strength to protest, because the Lord was not with him; for several thousand Israelites had died by the time they defeated the Benjaminites (Judg 20:21–39). But some (?) explain that [the statement] “And Phinehas son of Eleazar was the chief officer over them” does not refer to Phinehas the priest, because this Phinehas was a Levite; and that is [precisely] the meaning of “in time past the Lord was with him.” That is, this Phinehas is not the one from time past, because the Lord was with that Phinehas in that the Divine Spirit rested on him. But such was not the case for this one, even though he was great and was chief officer over the Levites. The correct interpretation, however, is the one I have provided.