ומלת אחריו. לאות שמת ואינו אליהו כלל וכבר פירשתיו כי נגיד היה עליהם וגם שהיה בימי פילגש בגבעה: The word acharav (after him) (v. 13)27The phrase “after him” means after his death. is proof that Phinehas died and is in no way to be identified with Elijah.28Who did not die. Some of the rabbis believe that Phinehas is Elijah. See Yalkut Shimoni on the Torah portion, Phinehas. I have already explained it.29See Jud. 20:28. Phinehas was ruler over them [Israel] (I Chron. 9:20). He was alive during the incident of the concubine from Gibeah.30See Judges, chapters 19-21. These citations, which occurred before the story of Elijah, prove that Phinehas could not be Elijah.
אשר קנא לאלהיו. מאהבתו את השם גם עשה טובה לישראל ודרך דרש האב כפר ובניו יכפרו: BECAUSE HE WAS JEALOUS FOR HIS GOD. He acted out of his love for God. He also did good for Israel.31I.E.’s paraphrase of and made atonement for the children of Israel. According to the midrashic interpretation, the father32Phinehas. atoned and the children33Phinehas’s descendants. will atone.34Hence the connection between an everlasting priesthood and because he…made atonement for the children of Israel.