Exodus 17:13

13 In this way Joshua totally defeated the Amalekites.

Exodus 17:13 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 17:13

And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of
the sword.
] Amalek being distinguished from "his people", has led some to think that Amalek was the name of the king, or general of the army, and that it was a common name to the kings of that nation, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt; but for this there is no foundation in the Scriptures: as Amelek signifies the Amalekites, his people may design the confederates and auxiliaries, the other people, as Ben Gersom expresses it, they brought with them to fight against Israel. And so Jerom F26 says, by him another Canaanite dwelt, who also fought against Israel in the wilderness, of whom it is so written, and Amalek and the Canaanite dwelt in the valley, ( Numbers 14:25 ) and who were all, the one as the other, at least the greatest part of them, cut to pieces by the edge of the sword of Joshua and the Israelites, who obtained a complete victory over them; as the spiritual Israel of God will at last over all their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, the world, and death.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 Ut supra. (De Locis Hebr. fol. 87. M.)

Exodus 17:13 In-Context

11 As long as Moses held up his arms, the Israelites won, but when he put his arms down, the Amalekites started winning.
12 When Moses' arms grew tired, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on, while they stood beside him and held up his arms, holding them steady until the sun went down.
13 In this way Joshua totally defeated the Amalekites.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write an account of this victory, so that it will be remembered. Tell Joshua that I will completely destroy the Amalekites."
15 Moses built an altar and named it "The Lord is my Banner."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.