And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past. —Or, formerly. Phinehas may have held this office of presid…

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in
time past
Over the host, o…

This chapter expresses that one end of recording all these genealogies was to direct the Jews, when they returned from captivity, with whom to unit…