The interpreters of Scripture by symbol taught that the deeds of Phinehas explained why directed that the priests were to receive the foreleg, cheeks, and stomach of sacrifices. The foreleg represented the hand of Phinehas, as reports that Phinehas "took a spear in his hand." The cheeks' represent the prayer of Phinehas, as reports, "Then Phinehas stood up and prayed, and so the plague was stayed." The stomach was to be taken in its literal sense, for reports that Phinehas "thrust . . . the woman through her belly."