Exodus 17:8-16

8 And Amalec came and fought with Israel in Raphidin.

9 And Moses said to Joshua, Choose out for thyself mighty men, and go forth and set the army in array against Amalec to-morrow; and, behold, I stand on the top of the hill, and the rod of God in my hand.

10 And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill.

11 And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, Amalec prevailed.

12 But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun.

13 And Joshua routed Amalec and all his people with the slaughter of the sword.

14 And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and speak in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly blot out the memorial of Amalec from under heaven.

15 And Moses built an altar to the Lord, and called the name of it, The Lord my Refuge.

16 For with a secret hand the Lord wages war upon Amalec to all generations.

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

• [a]. give.
• [b]. under heaven.