ATTACKED BY THE AMALEKITES

Passage: Exodus 17:8-16

Key verse: 15

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)

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 17:16 Or to
  2. Exodus 17:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
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.”

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 17:16 A slight change would yield upon the banner
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

While the Israelites were still at Rephidim they were attacked by the Amalekites. This was their first time being confronted since they left Egypt. Moses had Joshua choose some soldiers to fight, but he also had an unorthodox military strategy. He took Aaron and Hur up to the top of the hill and raised the staff of God above his head. Whenever Moses held the staff up, the Israelites were winning; whenever his hands slipped, the Amalekites were winning. With the help of Aaron and Hur, Moses was able to keep the staff of God up. Joshua and the Israelites were able to overcome the Amalekite army.

The Lord instructed Moses to write this memorable day down. This was the Lord’s victory. Moses built an altar to the Lord, calling it “The Lord is my Banner.” Moses glorified God, and the Lord promised to oppose all who lifted hands against the Lord from generation to generation. It is God who provides his people with victory. He revealed himself to Israel as their deliverer, their provider, and now as their protector.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for providing victory to your people. Help me to remember your gospel, which provides me with victory over sin and death.

One Word: God gives us victory