Shemot 17:8-16

8 Then came Amalek, and did battle against Yisroel in Rephidim.

9 And Moshe said unto Yehoshua, Choose for us anashim, and go out, do battle with Amalek; tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the matteh HaElohim in mine yad.

10 So Yehoshua did as Moshe had said to him, and did battle with Amalek; and Moshe, Aharon, and Chur went up to the top of the hill.

11 And it came to pass, as long as Moshe held up his yad, that Yisroel prevailed; and when he let down his yad, Amalek prevailed.

12 When the hands of Moshe grew heavy, they took an even (stone), and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aharon and Chur supported his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands held emunah (steady) until bo hashemesh (sunset).

13 And Yehoshua disabled Amalek and his army with the edge of the cherev.

14 And Hashem said unto Moshe, Write this for a zikaron (memorial, remembering) in a sefer, and rehearse it in the ears of Yehoshua; for I will utterly efface the memory of Amalek from under Shomayim.

15 And Moshe built a Mizbe’ach, and called the shem of it Hashem Nissi (Hashem is my Standard [rallying point]);

16 For he said, Because a yad has been against the kes Hashem (throne of Hashem), Hashem hath milchamah against Amalek from dor to dor.

Shemot 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.