Exodus 17:8-16

The Amalekites Attack

8 At Rephidim, Amalek[a] came and fought against Israel.
9 Moses said to Joshua, "Select some men for us, and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God's staff in my hand."
10 Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11 While Moses held up his hand,[b] Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand[c] down, Amalek prevailed.
12 When Moses' hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put [it] under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.
13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army[d] with the sword.
14 The Lord then said to Moses, "Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven."[e]
15 And Moses built an altar and named it, "The Lord Is My Banner."[f]
16 He said, "Indeed, [my] hand is [lifted up] toward[g] the Lord's throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation."

Exodus 17:8-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 17

The children of Israel coming to Rephidim, want water, and chide with Moses about it, who, crying to the Lord, is bid to smite the rock, from whence came water for them, and he named the place from their contention with him, Ex 17:1-7 at this place Amalek came and fought with Israel, who, through the prayer of Moses, signified by the holding up of his hands, and by the sword of Joshua, was vanquished, Ex 17:8-13, for the remembrance of which it was ordered to be recorded in a book, and an altar was built with this inscription on it, "Jehovahnissi": it being the will of God that Amalek should be fought with in every generation until utterly destroyed, Ex 17:14-16.

Footnotes 7

  • [a]. A semi-nomadic people descended from Amalek, a grandson of Esau; Gn 36:12
  • [b]. Sam, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read hands
  • [c]. Sam, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read hands
  • [d]. Or people
  • [e]. Nm 21:14; 33:2; Dt 25:17-19
  • [f]. Or Yahweh-nissi
  • [g]. Or hand was on, or hand was against; Hb obscure
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