In a book - in the book, i. e. the book which contained the history of God’s dealings with His people. Moses was further instructed to impress the command especially on the mind of Joshua, as the leader to whom the first step toward its accomplishment would be entrusted on the conquest of Canaan. The work was not actually completed until the reign of Hezekiah, 1 Chronicles 4:43. read more
Exodus 17:13-14. Though God gave the victory, yet it is said Joshua discovered Amalek, because Joshua was a type of Christ, and of the same name, and in him it is that we are more than conquerors. The Lord said, Write this for a memorial This is the first mention of writing we find in Scripture. read more
Events at Rephidim (17:1-16)When the people arrived at Rephidim and found no water, they again complained against God and against Moses. Once more Moses prayed for them and once more God miraculously provided. The names by which the place became known, Massah and Meribah, reminded the people of how they ‘tested’ God (Massah) and ‘argued with’ Moses (Meribah) (17:1-7).The Amalekites, a race of wild desert nomads descended from Esau (see Genesis 36:12,Genesis 36:16), saw the migration of the... read more
the LORD (Hebrew. Jehovah. said. See notes on Exodus 3:7 and Exodus 6:10 . Write . First occurrence. The tablets found at Lachish and Tel-el-Amarna show that writing of a high order was fully developed before the time of Moses. in a book . Hebrew "in the book" (bassepher). This writing afterward ordered for "the Book of the Law" (Exodus 24:4 , Exodus 24:7 ). See App-47 , where the history of that Book is traced from this passage to Malachi. put out = blot out. Compare Deuteronomy 25:19 .... read more
"And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.""Joshua discomfited Amalek ..." Josephus described this victory as a near-total slaughter of the Amalekites, only the coming of night preventing their utter destruction. He also... read more
Exodus 17:14. The Lord said unto Moses, write this, &c.— God commands Moses here, not only to write his decree concerning Amalek, but to rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; thus strongly declaring his fixed purpose; while it affords us one proof among many others, that Moses was the writer of this book, and that he wrote by the inspiration of the Lord. See Num 33:2 and Deuteronomy 25:17; Deuteronomy 25:19. I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek— Balaam (Numbers 24:20.) foretels... read more
14-16. Write this for a memorial—If the bloody character of this statute seems to be at variance with the mild and merciful character of God, the reasons are to be sought in the deep and implacable vengeance they meditated against Israel ( :-). read more
4. The hostility of the Amalekites 17:8-16Whereas the Israelites had feared the possibility of having to battle the Egyptians (Exodus 14:10), they now did engage in battle with the Amalekites."The primary function of this section in its present location is the demonstration of yet another proof and benefit of Yahweh’s Presence with Israel. The occasion for the demonstration this time is an attack from the outside instead of an internal complaint. The result, however, is once again an undeniable... read more
This is the first of five instances in the Pentateuch where we read that Moses wrote down something at the Lord’s command (cf. Exodus 24:4; Exodus 24:7; Exodus 34:27; Numbers 33:1-2; Deuteronomy 31:9; Deuteronomy 31:24). [Note: Kaiser, "Exodus," p. 409.] Clearly Moses could write, which some critics of the Bible have questioned.God promised the eventual destruction of the Amalekites to strengthen Joshua’s faith in God’s help against all Israel’s enemies (Exodus 17:14). Later God commanded him... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 17:14
God's mercies need memorial, and obtain it in several ways. Deliverance from Amalek was a great and noticeable mercy. It was. 1 . UNDESERVED , as the people had just been murmuring against God, and threatening to stone his prophet ( Exodus 17:3-4 ). 2 . TIMELY . Defeat, or even an indecisive success, would have brought upon the Israelites a host of enemies, under whose combined or continuous attacks they must have succumbed. The complete discomfiture of the powerful Amalek... read more