Josephus's Portrayal of Phinehas

Abstract

In the Antiquities portrayal of Phinehas and his exploits, Josephus engineers a number of small, but potent, alterations of the biblical narratives in which the Aaronide appears. These revisions become Josephus's vehicle for ad vancing his views on issues such as penitence, ritual atonement and priestly succession. Perhaps the most striking feature of Josephus's representation of Phinehas is its autobiographical character. By casting Phinehas as priest, diplomat, general and prophet, Josephus inserts himself into the scriptural setting, and recreates Phinehas according to his own self-image.