Exodus 17:10-13 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 17:8-16

We have here the story of the war with Amalek, which, we may suppose, was the first that was recorded in the book of the wars of the Lord, Num. 21:14. Amalek was the first of the nations that Israel fought with, Num. 24:20. Observe, I. Amalek's attempt: They came out, and fought with Israel, Exod. 17:8. The Amalekites were the posterity of Esau, who hated Jacob because of the birthright and blessing, and this was an effort of the hereditary enmity, a malice that ran in the blood, and perhaps... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:10

So Joshua did as Moses had said to him ,.... He singled out some proper persons for the battle, and arrayed them with armour, and led them forth out of the camp, and went forth at the head of them: and fought with Amalek ; upon both armies meeting, a battle ensued: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur, went up to the top of the hill ; to the top of Mount Sinai or Horeb, not so much to see the battle fought, as to be seen by Joshua and the people of Israel, especially Moses with the rod in his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:11

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed ,.... With his rod in it as a banner displayed, as some think, which inspired the Israelites with courage to fight, and they had the better of it; though Aben Ezra rejects that notion, observing, that if that had been the case, Aaron or Hur would have lifted it up, or fixed it in a high place on the mount, that it might have been seen standing; and therefore he thinks the sense of the ancients the most correct, that it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:12

But Moses's hands were heavy ,.... And hung down through weariness, holding up the rod first in one hand, and then in another, for so long a time; and thus sometimes, through infirmity, the best of men grow remiss in prayer, their hands are weak and hang flown through the corruptions of their hearts, the power of unbelief, the temptations of Satan, and want of immediate answers of prayer, or through long delays of it, and then the enemy gets an advantage over them: and they took a stone,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:10

Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up - It is likely that the Hur mentioned here is the same with that Hur mentioned 1 Chronicles 2:19 , who appears from the chronology in that chapter to have been the son of Caleb, the son of Ezron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah. The rabbins and Josephus say he was the brother-in-law of Moses, having married his sister Miriam. He was a person in whom Moses put much confidence; for he left him conjoint governor of the people with Aaron, when he went to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:11

When Moses held up his hand - We cannot understand this transaction in any literal way; for the lifting up or letting down the hands of Moses could not, humanly speaking, influence the battle. It is likely that he held up the rod of God in his hand, Exodus 17:9 , as an ensign to the people. We have already seen that in prayer the hands were generally lifted up and spread out, (See Clarke's note on Exodus 9:29 ;), and therefore it is likely that by this act prayer and supplication are... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:13

Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people - Amalek might have been the name of the ruler of this people continued down from their ancestor, (see Clarke on Exodus 17:8 ; (note)), as Pharaoh was the name of all succeeding kings in Egypt. If this were the case, then Amalek and his people mean the prince and the army that fought under him. But if Amalek stand here for the Amalekites, then his people must mean the confederates he had employed on this occasion. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:10

Verse 10 10.So Joshua did as. Although Joshua is by no means backward, but diligently executes what he knows to be commanded him by God Himself, and it is probable that the soldiers whom he had taken to accompany him did their duty properly, yet is it expressly stated that they gained the victory by no care, or striving, or courage of their own, but by the prayer of Moses, by whose support their leader as well as the army was sustained. Yet does not Moses here boastfully commend his own zeal in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:13

Verse 13 13.And Joshua discomfited Amalek. The copula is here used instead of the illative particle; for Moses here concludes that the Israelites overcame their enemies, because he had continually persevered in prayer. There is, too, an implied antithesis between the firmness of his hands and the weakness of the enemy, that we may know that they were discomfited or conquered, not so much by the sword as by the uplifting of the rod, and by the intercession of the holy man. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 17:8-16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 17:13

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