The+Amalekites

=toc Who are the Amalekites? =

To trace back the origins of the Amalekites, one can take a look at Genesis 36:12, it says, “Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him **Amalek**. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.” This shows that the Israelites and the Amalekites were actually brothers. They lived in "the land of Seir," which is equated with "the field of Edom." This region is the mountainous tract which runs along the eastern side of the Arabah. Also in ** Numbers 13:29 ,** ** one can see that they lived in Negev, too. The Amalekites were nomadic or semi-nomadic people, descendants of Esau and one of traditional enemies of Israel. They are not mentioned by name in extra-biblical source so the OT provides the only written evidence on this relatively obscure people. ** [i

= The First Encounter. =

The battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites are recorded in Exodus 17. After Moses gave water to the people of Israel from the rock, the Amalekites attacked Israel in Rephidim. With Moses’ arms held up, the Israelites won the battle. Nevertheless, Exodus 15:16 sets long-lasting enmity between the Israelites and the Amalekites, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the LORD, the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.” [ii

= Long relationship with Israel. =

During the Wandering time
Because of Amalek’s occupation on the border of Palestine, in Sinai and the Negeb, these tribes were in conflict with the Israelites from the time of their wilderness wanderings until the early monarchy. Deuteronomy 25:17-18 records that the Amalekites’ attacks were merciless, which spurned enmity between Israel and Amalek even more. Also, when Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, Amalekites repelled them. It also is very interesting to note that the prophet Balaam gave positive comment on the Amalekites, probably for the only time. (Num. 24:20) [iii

Time in the land Of Canaan and on
During the time of the Judges, the Amalekites were one of many foreign people who gave hard time to Israel. After Saul became the king of Israel, God commanded Saul to eliminate the Amalekites for the word of Moses in Exodus 15:16. Probably the most detailed and most decisive encounters between Amalek and Israel are found in the Samuel narratives on Saul. Militarily, Saul was successful in conquest, but his failure to execute the ban against the Amalek constituted a spiritual failure. When David met the Amalekite guy with the news of Saul’s death, that guy probably was a mercenary hired by the Philistines. Later in the days of Saul and David, the Amalekites are not mentioned as threatening opponent as before. The only reference to Amalekites after David’s era is found in 1 Chr. 4:43. This verse observes that only a “remnant of the Amalekites” was left in the time of Hezekiah, which is about late 8th century B.C. [iv

[i //The Anchor Bible Dictionary//, 1st ed. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 170. [ii Leonard Elliott Elliott-Binns, //From Moses to Elisha; Israel to the End of the Ninth Century B.C// (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1929), 117-8; Hans Wilhelm Hertzberg, //I & II Samuel, a Commentary// (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1964), 124. [iii //The Anchor Bible Dictionary//, 170. [iv Hertzberg, //I & II Samuel, a Commentary//, 124-130; R. P Gordon, //I & II Samuel: A Commentary// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Regency Reference Library, 1988), 142-146; Mary J Evans, //1 and 2 Samuel// (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 2000), 73-5; //The Anchor Bible Dictionary//, 171.

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