PRAYER BRINGS VICTORY
Key verse: 11
NIV
The Amalekites Defeated
8 The Amalekites(A) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.(B) 9 Moses said to Joshua,(C) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff(D) of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur(E) went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,(F) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.(G) 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite(H) army with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write(I) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out(J) the name of Amalek(K) from under heaven.”
15 Moses built an altar(L) and called(M) it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against[a] the throne of the Lord,[b] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites(N) from generation to generation.”(O)
Footnotes
- Exodus 17:16 Or to
- Exodus 17:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Cross references
- Exodus 17:8 : S Ge 36:12
- Exodus 17:8 : S ver 1
- Exodus 17:9 : Ex 24:13; 32:17; 33:11; Nu 11:28; 27:22; Dt 1:38; Jos 1:1; Ac 7:45
- Exodus 17:9 : S Ex 4:17
- Exodus 17:10 : ver 10-12; Ex 24:14; 31:2
- Exodus 17:11 : Jas 5:16
- Exodus 17:12 : Jos 8:26
- Exodus 17:13 : ver 8
- Exodus 17:14 : Ex 24:4; 34:27; Nu 33:2; Dt 31:9; Job 19:23; Isa 30:8; Jer 36:2; 45:1; 51:60
- Exodus 17:14 : Ex 32:33; Dt 29:20; Job 18:17; Ps 9:5; 34:16; 109:15; Eze 18:4
- Exodus 17:14 : ver 13; S Ge 36:12; Nu 24:7; Jdg 3:13; 1Sa 30:17-18; Ps 83:7
- Exodus 17:15 : S Ge 8:20
- Exodus 17:15 : S Ge 22:14
- Exodus 17:16 : Nu 24:7; 1Sa 15:8, 32; 1Ch 4:43; Est 3:1; 8:3; 9:24
- Exodus 17:16 : Est 9:5
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Israel Defeats Amalek
8 (A)Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to (B)Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with (C)the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So (D)Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and (E)Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses (F)held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and (G)Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And (H)Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of (I)Joshua, that (J)I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses (K)built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, 16 saying, “A hand upon the throne[a] of the Lord! (L)The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 17:16 A slight change would yield upon the banner
Cross references
- Exodus 17:8 : Deut. 25:17; 1 Sam. 15:2
- Exodus 17:9 : ch. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11
- Exodus 17:9 : ch. 4:20
- Exodus 17:10 : [See ver. 9 above]; ch. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11
- Exodus 17:10 : ch. 24:14; 31:2
- Exodus 17:11 : [1 Tim. 2:8]
- Exodus 17:12 : [See ver. 10 above]; ch. 24:14; 31:2
- Exodus 17:13 : [See ver. 9 above]; ch. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11
- Exodus 17:14 : [See ver. 9 above]; ch. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11
- Exodus 17:14 : Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:19; 1 Sam. 15:3, 7; 30:1, 17; 2 Sam. 8:12
- Exodus 17:15 : [Judg. 6:24]
- Exodus 17:16 : [See ver. 14 above]; Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:19; 1 Sam. 15:3, 7; 30:1, 17; 2 Sam. 8:12
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Go into battle with prayer (8-13)
After God had provided water, the Amalekites attacked the Israelite camp at Rephidim. The Israelites were all newly freed slaves with no military experience. Joshua chose some men to fight but Moses knew that only God could give them victory. He saw that this physical battle would need to be fought on a spiritual level. Moses went up on a hill and lifted up his hands as he held the staff of God. So long as his hands were up, the Israelites were winning. With Aaron and Hur's help, Moses kept his arms up and God gave his people victory. Victory comes when we pray and support others in the spiritual battle with prayer.
2. The LORD is my Banner (14-16)
The Amalekites' attack was to be remembered. Moses built an altar to commemorate the LORD's victory in the Israelites' first battle. Furthermore, the altar reminded the Israelites that the LORD will be against those who raise their hands against him. The LORD would punish the Amalekites in the future (Dt 25:17-19).
Prayer: Father, I lift my hands to you and ask for your justice and victory over your enemies. Help me to support others in their spiritual battles.
One Word: Depend on the LORD in prayer
