Exodus 17:8-16

8 Forsooth Amalek came (And the Amalekites came), and fought against Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said to Joshua, Choose thou men, and go out, and fight tomorrow against the men of Amalek; lo! I shall stand in the top of the hill, and I shall have the rod of God in mine hand. (And Moses said to Joshua, Choose thou some men, and tomorrow go out, and fight against the Amalekites; lo! I shall stand on the hill-top, and I shall have God's staff in my hand.)

10 Joshua did as Moses spake, and he fought against Amalek. Forsooth Moses, and Aaron, and Hur went up on(to) the top of the hill;

11 and when Moses raised [up] his hands, Israel overcame; forsooth if he let them down a little, Amalek overcame.

12 Soothly Moses? hands were (made) heavy, therefore they took a stone, and put (it) under him, on which stone he sat. Forsooth Aaron and Hur sustained his hands, on ever either side; and (so) it was done, that his hands were not made weary, till to the going down of the sun.

13 And Joshua drove away Amalek and his people, in the mouth of [the] sword, that is, by the sharpness of the sword, Joshua killed the strong men of Amalek.

14 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, Write thou this in a book, for mind, and take (it) in(to) the ears of Joshua; for I shall do away the mind of Amalek from under heaven. (And the Lord said to Moses, Write thou about this in a book to remember it, and tell it to Joshua; for I shall do away all memory of the Amalekites from under heaven.)

15 And Moses builded an altar, and called the name thereof, The Lord is mine enhancer, (And Moses built an altar there, and called it Jehovahnissi,)

16 and he said, For (it is) the hand of the Lord alone, and the battle of God shall be against Amalek (and God shall fight against the Amalekites), from generation into 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.