However, Saul did not completely obey Gods command; instead of killing every last Amalekite, he spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:8-9). One of the horrible characteristics of the Jebusite is racism. Infamy notwithstanding, its roots are not so easily decipherable. Get those hands up! 34:5; Josh. "Amalek is a symbol, it is a character trait. 3:26) and the areas mentioned in the previous verses (I Chron. It is the spirit that inhabits those who lack the fear of God. Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. temple: Talmud, Yoma 9b - Why was the first Sanctuary Rabbi Alan Odess, a teacher at Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education, does think of Amalek as the specific nation that attacked the People of Israel, but he believes that, "There are characteristics, underlying values, that Amalek exemplified," such as attacking the weak and defenseless. mountain, symbolizing the possibility of human connection with God and holiness, its Thus the tannaitic aggadah of the first century B.C.E. This reading which occurs only in secondary versions of the Septuagint and not in original ones can be explained as an attempt to interpret a difficult passage in the light of I Samuel 15:6, i.e., the verse in the Song of Deborah where it says of Ephraim "they whose root is in Amalek" (Judg. We are only able to do these things by the grace of God working through the gifts of Gods people. Moreover, the attack of the Amalekites upon the Israelites encouraged others. They first appear in the Bible as enemies of Israel when they attacked the Israelites shortly after they had left Egypt. 4 The entire world had heard of the great plagues that had struck Egypt. Answer (1 of 7): The Amalekites preyed on the Hebrews when they were weak during the Exodus from Egypt. Why to him, who was then but a youth (Ex. Amalek came to kill Israel after they saw all the wonders Hashem did for us when we came out of Egypt." "The Torah says they came upon us by happenstance." How, undeterred by fear of Hashem, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Just as Joshua had to completely destroy the Amalekites in order to protect his people, so too must we deal with those dark aspects of ourselves if we ever hope to find true peace and happiness. Hence, and Amalek came.". Amalek the wicked comes from the power of the primordial snake, and it is there that he connects and draws his strength. In the course of time this biblical injunction became so deeply rooted in Jewish thought that many important enemies of Israel were identified as direct descendants of Amalek. the Left, to which are attached the pagan nations who are called ox and The Amalekites and the people of the East joined the Midianite raids on the Israelites in the time of Gideon, and, like true desert tribes, undoubtedly participated in the destruction of the crops, as related in the Book of Judges (6:17). Worship Him! Indeed the name Amalek ( ) begins with the letter Ayin (symbolizing the eye) and equals 240 in gematria -- the same value for safek ( ), meaning "doubt," and for rahm ( ), meaning "haughty." 13:13 ff. came forth Cain, who killed Abel. From Cain was descended Jethro, the father-in-law of It is unimaginable that such a juxtaposition would have been possible after the consciousness of the divine war of extermination against Amalek had taken root in Israel. Were We must ask God to protect us from this enemy and bind its power in Jesus name. Moses, as it is written, And the sons of the Kenite the father-in-law of Moses Similar names: Anem Araunah Arnon Elzabad Huzoth Jagur Jattir Jazeel Kallai Maaz Matred Merodach Nason Nephusim Nimshi. Even so, people like to treat the term symbolically, as a stand-in for an implacable Jew-hater. It is thy battle, the battle here below, and I will prepare myself for the battle From the scanty information in I Samuel 15, it may be concluded that Saul achieved victory over the Amalekites and advanced all the way to their headquarters, "the city of Amalek." withal redemption will not be complete until Amalek will be exterminated, for against was equipped with weapons prepared by his Mother (the Shekinah) for the battle Haman was an Agagite and the son of Hammedatha. 3) The Amalekites refused to repent even after repeated chances from God. Amalek and Amalekites appears 48 times in Gods Word. Also, the sword here represents the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). The Amalekites are not listed in the table of nations in Genesis 10, as they did not originate until after Esau's time. Later the name Amalek becomes the name of a grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12) who becomes a chief of Edom (36:16). And when Moses lowered his hand, Amalek was stronger" (Exodus 17:11). 24:20), had no wish to fight alone against Israel but rather, with the help of many nations (Mekhilta, ed. Those who adhere to it will have victory over the enemy! Genesis 36:12(c) The meaning of this word is a people that take away all. Originally Amalek was a grandson of Esau. In this particular case, therefore, YHWH, who according to Exodus 17:16 had sworn eternal enmity to Amalek, permitted Amalek to defeat Israel, but, since He had specifically warned Israel against this particular undertaking, there is no real contradiction between Exodus 17:16 and Numbers 14:45. Scripture records the long-lasting feud between the Amalekites and the Israelites and Gods direction to wipe the Amalekites off the face of the earth (Exodus 17:813;1 Samuel 15:2;Deuteronomy 25:17). See1 Samuel 15:9-15. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and He will always give us victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). 3 /5. (Deuteronomy 17:7), Came Amalek (ib. there has been and will be no war like that, nor can even the war of Gog and Magog be The Amalekites are the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob (Genesis 36:12,16). This daily battle, this need to be crucified with Christ to the deeds of the body and to the world, will wage till the saint is in eternal glory (1 Corinthians 9:27; 15:31; Exodus 17:16). There may be geographical significance in the listing of Amalek after Edom in the Song of Balaam (Num. 17:14). together being called Samael (lit. He was outside the family of GOD, and no effort was ever made to bring him into the family of GOD. opposition to this. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16. They are considered to be descended from an ancestry Amalek. Exo 17:13 And Joshua discomfited (wasted!) Moses motive in converting them was good, as has been said, therefore God said to Saul's act of extermination was not absolute, for he spared the best of the sheep and cattle setting aside part for a sacrifice to God and Agag, king of Amalek. Amalek was the grandson of the infamous Esau, Jacobs brother, Isaacs son. It is possible that this tradition is based on abortive attempts by Israel to expand its holdings in the South during the premonarchic period (see Num. The word Amalek appears in the Bible only in reference to a people, not to an individual. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Luke 20:37, The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. Acts 3:13, The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Why did God say again and again that there would always be war with the Amalekites? Amalek's chief weapon is to foment doubt . So then, because We need to pray for strength and courage as we face this adversary. Deu 25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; Deu 25:18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. fright gripped them." "doubt" (versus faith) on the part of God's people. 6. represents God's throne on earth; Amalek represents the attack on the throne. Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.". It is as if we walk along a path, and wherever we can fall or deviate from it, thorns appear and send us a "Keep away!" warning signal. 5. The matter was, therefore, a war of rescue as were the wars of the Judges, and it seems that because of its difficulty Saul vowed that in the event of success he would devote the spoil to the Lord by erem. [podcast]. I could wish you were cold or hot. etc. They that are current wasters/destroyers of the churches have certain characteristics. They first appear in the book of Exodus, when they attacked the Israelites as they were fleeing from Egypt.The Israelites were victorious in that battle, but the Amalekites continued to harass them throughout their journey to the Promised Land. two evil spiritual forces coming together. Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. There is no help for the flesh found in the Scriptures. and sweet water to drink, and yet they complained! (Romans 6-8; Galatians 2:20; James 4:6-10, etc.). In Israel, by birthright, thefirstborn son inherited the leadershipof the family and the judicial authority of his father. refers to the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, as Amalekites (verses 12 and 16).. They were spared because they had "showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." David, in his answer to Achish, links the Kenites with the inhabitants of the South of Judah ( 1 Samuel 27:10 ). God then put Amalek under a curse, which put them on Cursed Time. When it comes to the spirit of Amalek, there are a few things that every Christian should know. While the Jews were still in Rephidim, the Amalekites, a mightily and fierce people, descendants of Esau, and well-trained in the art of warfare, suddenly attacked the people of Israel. [9] After warning Israel's allies, the Kenites, to leave the area (v. 6), Saul attacks, and deals Amalek a crushing blow: We must also stand firm in our faith, knowing that God is ultimately victorious over all evil. commanded: Transgress and suffer not death he may transgress and not suffer Exo 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. might throw himself with greater zeal into the war in Heaven, and thus promote victory on This gives us a clue as to what their spiritual meaning may be.The Amalekites represent those things in our lives that are unclean and unwanted. Amalek's philosophy negates the concept that there is a purpose to humanity or to creation itself-again the antithesis of Jewish philosophy. They were first mentioned in the Bible in relation to their attack on the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness after leaving Egypt (Exodus 17:8-16). rabbinic perspective, Ari D. Kahn, Targum/Feldheim, 2002, p. 114. http://www.yashanet.com/studies/revstudy/text/r13_11-15.htm, http://www.aish.com/purimthemes/purimthemesdefault/Haman_Heir_to_Amalek.asp, faith is contrasted to Amalek/doubt (and the anti-Messiah of Revelation), the establishment of the Temple (and the Throne of God) is contrasted to haSatan's XVII,16). When Amalek attacked the Israelites, their desire was to steal the wealth that they had gotten from Egypt as payment for centuries of slavery ( Ex. the first nation who feared not to proclaim war against Israel, as it says, and he who brought him to this. Jewish study became lax, they were in danger. Esau was the older brother of Jacob (who became Israel). XX, 8); it was they Joshua is a type of Christ here who conquered all sin, death, hell, and the grave. Horovitz and I.A. Moses, in order to screen the reproach of his father-in-law, sought to convert the 45). A godly mother is a woman of prayer (1 Samuel 1:10, 12, & 15) One of the greatest gifts that you can give to your children is to be a woman of prayer. XXV, 19): it was they who 39 proper name, of a people Amalek (on see Lag BN 162 Ba NB 160); ancient people Numbers 24:20 (twice in verse), south of Canaan in Negeb Numbers 13:29 (all J E), fierce and war-like Bedawin (compare GASm Geogr. Listen Stories. as the Jews were diligent in Torah study, Amalek had no dominion over them. This Red Sea experience, miracle is a picture of the salvation of Gods people from Egypt, the world. Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Genesis 36 refers to the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, as Amalekites (verses 12 and 16). Those who reject Jesus Christ for their own temporal agenda will also forfeit the birthright. So the human flesh is at enmity with GOD. More closely historical than the Pentateuch's accounts of Amalek are the traditions set in the period of the Judges and the monarchy. During the period of the Judges, the Amalekites participated with other nations in attacks on the Israelite tribes. Because he was able to divine the namely Israel above. They were the first nation to attack the Jewish people after the Exodus from Egypt, and they are seen as the archetypal enemy of the Jews. They are first mentioned in the book of Exodus, where they attacked the Israelites as they were making their way out of Egypt. 2 See how Your foes rear their heads. Finally, we need to proclaim victory over this enemy in Jesus name! Amalek means warlike. Amalek as having no regard for God whatsoever: Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2,Page 65a - And The name Amalek is not mentioned in writings outside the Bible. Haman was likely a descendent of Agag, king of the Amalekites, long-time enemies of the Jewish people. The war with Amalek did not end with their defeat, and the Israelites were commanded always to remember the deeds of Amalek (Deut. Pronunciation of Amalekites with 3 audio pronunciations. Moses equipped himself for the war above. So what does all of this mean for us today? The mitzvah to destroy Amalek implies that no trace of Amalek's existence could be left. On the other hand, Gen. xiv. In 1834, a ruthless and unrelenting campaign was begun against Reb Noson to prevent. Another explanation is based on the Gematria (numerology) of Amalek () being 240the same as the value of the Hebrew word for "doubt" (). 1 cor 9:27; Gal 5:24; Col 3:3, The Flesh will Never be Reformed it Must be Crucified [podcast]. It seeks to destroy anything that is good or righteous, and it rejoices in chaos and suffering. The Amalekites are the descendants of Esau, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of soup and in doing so forfeited his firstborn birthright (Genesis 25; Hebrews 12:16). Amalek is the father of the Amalekites. They are a people who generations of interpreters have charged with moral turpitude, a filthy and disgusting people. We later learn (Genesis 36:22) that Timna was the sister of Lotan who was a chieftain of the land of Seir where Esav went to live. (1) The Biblically mandated vendetta against the nation of Amalek is well known to all religious Jews, enshrined as it is in a variety of rituals designed to keep its memory alive. The Amalekites were a formidable tribe of nomads living in the area south of Canaan, between Mount Seir and the Egyptian border. Esau, the Amalekites, are a type of the flesh, sin, Satan think: steal, kill, destroy (John 10:10). VII) Amalek Exists and We are Still Commanded to Blot them Out. reason it is prohibited to plough with an ox and an ass together (Deut. The Holy One, as it were, said: when Israel is worthy below My power prevails in the - Amalek & Israel - Land & People - The Amalekites & the Kenites - In the Aggadah. world as long as God's holiness is not completely manifest. 1 O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. "Amalek came and battled Israel in Rephidim." (Exodus 17:8) "G-d maintains a war against Amalek, from generation to generation." (Exodus 17:15) The first Chassidic discourse by the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe (after the passing of his father the 5th Rebbe in 1920 in Rostov, during the Russian Communist Revolution) was on the verse "Amalek is the first among the nations, and in the . Every believer will choose sin and self or the Savior. Deuteronomy 25:17(c) Here again Amalek is represented as a type of Satan and of the flesh, both of which attack GODs people, especially when they are weak, weary and sick. The Amalekites are a people mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. We should also ask God to reveal any areas in our lives where we may be vulnerable to attack. fought with Israel in Rephidim, because the Israelites were weak (raphe) God also commands that all future generations should remember what the Amalekites did and continue to take vengeance against them. Concerning such a case, King Solomon said: There is a sore Now Joshua, the youth, had 6:17 ff.). What is the Spiritual Meaning of the Number 10. The people's name Amalekite is initially mentioned in the story of the War of Four Against Five Kings (Genesis 14:7). This is an around-the-clock operation that involves several God-fearing servants and much technological expertise and costs. Were there not many tribes, word for "doubt" (safek) are the same. 14:48). For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8, Overcoming the flesh requires continually delighting in the LORD, worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24). In 1 Samuel 15, Saul is instructed by God to destroy all of the Amalekites, but he sparingly kills only their king, Agag. I, 16), and according to tradition he was called Kenite because he originated from 8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 15:4; Ezek. non-stop. This was because they had shown themselves to be an enemy of God and His people, and He wanted to send a message that His people were not to be messed with. There are no modern-day Amalekites. 2:55), the Amalekites did not deviate from their desert nomadic character until they ceased to exist. We can now make the following contrasts and comparisons: Thus "doubt," caused by lack of Torah study, is a tactic used At first these nations were afraid to join Amalek, but he persuaded them by saying: "Come, and I shall advise you what to do. As his epithet Agagite indicates, Haman was a . Jewish Literacy. Difficult. There are five that we get from this text 1. Amalek is directly tied to However, when considering the Torah's own recounting of the Amalekite attack on the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy, we find that one of the defining characteristics of Amalek's wickedness is, curiously, the very happenstance nature of its encounter with Israel: The Amalekites were a biblical people and enemy of the Israelites. NY: Behrman House, Inc. 1976. These three sins are said to be what caused the destruction of the first The Amalekites were the first ones to attack the Israelites upon their exodus from Egypt, the world. This showed their stubbornness and unwillingness to change which earned Jehovahs wrath. identifies Amalek with Rome (Bacher, Tann, 1 (19302), 146). (Gen. 25:18). The term "city of Amalek" is not to be understood literally, and it is possible that it means a fortified camp. The spirit of the Jebusite represents a spirit that puts people down, humiliate them or makes them feel small. Jesus Christ had to address this spirit many times, even within one of his very own disciples. The Amalekites represent Satan and the flesh and their war against Gods people and all that is right. XXXII, 33), for they are of the seed of Amalek, of whom it is said, All the tragedies which Israel suffered are considered the direct outcome of Amalek's hostile act (PdRK 27). From them, when united, emanates the power, called dog, which is more Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Ye said, is the But as soon as A similar expression occurs in the description of the much wider range of the Ishmaelites: "From Havilah, by Shur, which is east of (or close to) Egypt, etc." 5:14). Lord in our midst or not? Behold, I will deliver you to the dog!, and He is Holy, holy, holy. (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8), For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The battle (or the main one) was waged in "the wadi," by which is perhaps meant the Wadi of Egypt (cf. There were Kenites dwelling among the Amalekites in the time of Saul ( 1 Samuel 15:6 ). Although the story of David's victory over the Amalekites is intended to add to his glory, it need not be doubted that it reflects an historical truth about David's wars against the desert tribes in his premonarchial period, being distinguished by exact topographical indications, by correct military-legal conduct, and the division of booty among the cities of Judah and of the Negev (30:9, 2131). Moses commanded Joshua to select men to fight, and the Israelites met the Amalekites in battle. one's life is at stake: Talmud, Sanhedrin 74a - R. Johanan said in the name Despite the "pre-deuteronomic" literary framework of chapter 15 and its prophetic-ideological aim, embedded in it is an ancient historical tradition about a war of extermination that reflects Saul's war against Amalek. what is the spiritual meaning of strawberry? from his proper place and was not privileged to enter the land of Israel, for through them