Exodus 17:8-10

WAR WITH AMALEK

"Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill."

"Amalek ..." Who were the Amalekites? Amalek was the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12,16). In this place, Amalek is used as a collective noun to describe all of his descendants. These people fulfilled all that should have been expected of the posterity of the profane Esau. They were thoroughly pagan and identified with the gross sensuality of Canaan. They were a kindred race to Israel, which should have incited them to pity, but, on the contrary, they viciously attacked the straggling rearward of the host of the Chosen People at a time when they were exhausted and weary (Deuteronomy 25:18). As signified in the memorial name chosen for the episode, the Amalekites deliberately lifted up their hand against the "throne of God," and sought to thwart His purpose regarding Israel.

As to why the Amalekites attacked Israel, the fundamental reason lay in the fact that Amalek did not fear God (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). There was also that old long-standing feud between Jacob and Esau. Then, in addition, it is possible that the Amalekites feared Israel's moving in on pasture lands which they coveted for themselves.

"And Moses said unto Joshua ..." See the chapter introduction regarding this first mention of Joshua in the Bible. He was either quite a very young man at this time, or this episode is not recorded in chronological sequence. It is of no great importance as to which is the case, for Moses might easily have done it either way. Joshua was an Ephraimite who became, in time, the successor of Moses and successfully carried out the conquest of Canaan.

The name Joshua was originally Hoshea or Oshea (Numbers 13:8). He was the son of Nun, "and the tenth in descent from Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:23-27)."[12] The appearance of the tenth generation here corroborates the passage of a full 400 years (actually 430) for the sojourn of Israel in Egypt. About forty years after the event here, Moses changed Joshua's name to Jehoshua (shortened to Joshua) which in Greek becomes Jesus. Moses, writing Exodus at a time near the end of the wilderness period would naturally have used the more familiar name in this passage. If Moses did not insert it here, then some other inspired writer, such as Ezra, or even Joshua himself might have done so. We shall meet with Joshua again in the episode of sending out the spies in Numbers 13.

"And Hur ..." This is the first mention of a man of this name in the Bible. Josephus states that he was the husband of Miriam.[13] Rawlinson mentions another Jewish tradition that he was "the son of Miriam."[14] In either case, that would have been somewhat of a family gathering on the top of that hill! Hur was the grandfather of Bezaleel, "the great sculptor and artificer of the tabernacle (Exodus 31:2-5), and belonged to the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:18-20)."[15]