Haman was "the son of Hammedatha the Agagite" ( Esther 3:1 ), probably directly descended from the Amalekite king Samuel killed. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. She replied she would rather be a handmaiden to the dregs of this nation than be the mistress of another Nation; to punish the Patriarchs for the affront they had made her, she was made the mother of Amalek, whose descendants would cause Israel much distress. In some rabbinical interpretations, Amalek is etymologised as am lak, 'a people who lick (blood)',[2] but most specialists regard the origin to be unknown.[3]. [24], Alternatively, during the Islamic Golden Age, certain Arabic writings claimed that the Amalekites existed long before Abraham. Perhaps the author merely wishes to define the normal range of the nomadic Amalekites in the time of Saul. 2:345; Josh. The shepherd would hold out the rod and have all the sheep pass under it one at a time, counting each animal as it passed. That is pretty large distance of battle between Arabia and Egypt. He was rebuked by God for not doing just that. Matthew George Easton advocated that the Amalekites were not descendants of Amalek by taking a literal approach to Genesis 14:7. The most immediate answer would seem to be that unlike the people of Ninevah, the Amalekites did not repent, though they were given plenty of time to do so. 1 Samuel 15 NIV - Bible Hub Why Did God Command Saul to Eliminate the Amalekites? [50], Maimonides explains that the commandment to destroy the nation of Amalek requires the Jewish people to peacefully request that they accept upon themselves the Seven Laws of Noah and pay a tax to the Jewish kingdom. b. Amalekites attack. 6 Where was Moses holding up his arms during the Battle of Refidim? In the biblical traditions, Israel, after sinning through cowardice and lack of faith as a result of the discouraging report of the spies, turned around and "defiantly marched to the crest of the hill country" (Num. The Hebrew word which is usually translated as "the nation" or "the people" can also refer to military troops as in 1 Samuel 15:4. He Was a Descendant of Amalek The Book of Esther tells us that Haman was a descendant of Amalek , a nation known for its hatred of the Jewish people. Assuming that everyone who died in the city of Amalek equates to the entire Amalek nation being exitinct is like assuming you've met every single American that exists upon visiting New York. God hates it when the strong take cruel advantage over the weak, especially when the weak are His people. 24:18, 20). They were, and still continue to be in their descendants, the Bedouins, an untamable race of savages, whose delight is in robbery and plunder. Start your free trial today. What sin did the Amalekites commit? Rabin (19602), 176; Jos., Ant., 3:40). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Maybe the name stuck to the new people group even if they had no direct blood ties to Amalek. | The Christian Century There the Amalekites appear to have found them and cruelly massacred them. Their final defeat occurred in the time of Hezekiah. 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." Im not suggesting this is the answer but its worth considering. Was Samuel referring to Saul in 1 Samuel 8:10-17? For "the enemy comes only on account of sin and transgression" (ibid.). Esau was the older brother of Jacob (who became Israel). and Gr. Deuteronomy 25:17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your 3:26) and the areas mentioned in the previous verses (I Chron. There may have been multiple enclaves of Amalekites scattered throughout the Sinai peninsula. An ancient marauding people in the S of Canaan and the Negeb who were fierce enemies of Israel particularly in the earlier part of her history. In Genesis 15 God says to Abraham that his people shall sojourn in Egypt until the time of their redemption corresponds with the end of the grace . The Amalekites were the descendants of Amalek, who was the son of Eliphaz (son of Esau, ancestor of the Edomites) and Eliphaz's concubine Timna (Genesis 36:12). 25:19 Not to forget Amalek's atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt in the desert, Some commentators have discussed the ethical deficiency of the commandment to exterminate all the Amalekites, especially including the command to kill children, and the presumption of collective punishment. 6:17 ff.). Eynei Kol ai, 73, on Sanhedrin 96b. [10] First-century Roman-Jewish scholar and historian Flavius Josephus refers to Amalek as a 'bastard' () in a derogatory sense. c. In the time of Saul. First, God gave the Amalekites 400 years to repent before He judged them of . 3 Why did God want to destroy the Amalekites? In Judaism, the Amalekites came to represent the archetypal enemy of the Jews. Also, the text describes "king Agag and his people" as being destroyed. Saul conducted military campaigns against the Amalekites that while under God's instruction did not please God because the annihilation was far from complete and probably only included most of the army. In I Chronicles 4:4243, some obscure information has been preserved about the remnant of Amalek. At first these nations were afraid to join Amalek, but he persuaded them by saying: "Come, and I shall advise you what to do. Effect of a "bad grade" in grad school applications. (2) The injunction "Remember" does not enjoin us to recall the evil actions of others but rather our own. 15:6). Num. Where did the Israelites go after leaving Rephidim? The Amalekites - Jewish Virtual Library In particular, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin have defended a literal reading of these passages at length. All the tragedies which Israel suffered are considered the direct outcome of Amalek's hostile act (PdRK 27). The Amalekites harassed the Hebrews during their Exodus from Egypt and attacked them at Rephidim near Mount Sinai, where they were defeated by Joshua. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:1920 ESV). The command imposed on Saul to subject the Amalekites to the ban (erem), however, conforms to the version in Deuteronomy. Within this period of the Judges the Amalekites were associated with the Moabites, Ammonites, and Midianites in their marauding activities. When those privileged to enter the eternal kingdom express surprise over the grace being shown to them, Jesus says: Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40 ESV). 2 The Lord All-Powerful says: 'When the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Amalekites tried to stop them from going to Canaan. Ed. the Amalekites in a specific citynot on a massive geographical scale (c.f. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Though the Amalekites are not mentioned in the table of nations in Genesis 10, in Numbers 24:20 they are referred to as "first among the nations.". The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. King Herod and his family were Idumean [Edomite] converts to Judaism, and Amalekites may have lived there long after the tribe fades from the biblical record. What positional accuracy (ie, arc seconds) is necessary to view Saturn, Uranus, beyond? the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". In Genesis 1 we are told: Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. The Amalekites were a people of the Negev and adjoining desert that were a hereditary enemy of Israel from wilderness times to the early monarchy. Perhaps, the statement where Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur is hyperbolical. They did this for no reasons except violence and greed. Davids initial encounter with the Amalekites, in the OT record, took place during the time of his association with Achish, king of Gath, when the young Israelite made raids in the S against the Amalekites and others (1 Sam 27:8). God has a settled antagonism against sin. Saul spared only the best of the sheep and of the oxen, besides Agag. 47:19). Their story is that they, unprovoked, attacked Israel from behind as they had just finished crossing the Red Sea, and Israel went to war with them. [13] This is probably based on the association of this tribal group with the steppe region of ancient Israel and the area of Kadesh (Genesis 14:7). What is meant by "the sin of the Amorites is not yet complete" in Genesis 15:16? If it helps, 1 Samuel 15:8-9, Saul did spared the king of Amalekites, Agag. Parisians maybe? Saul was severely rebuked for this incomplete job and his attempt at "spin" by suggesting that all had been eliminated when, clearly, they had not. When it says that the iniquity of the Amorites has not reached its fullness, one way of looking at it is that there was still a chance to eliminate the gene pool of the seed of the elohim. Who a person is toward the family of Jesus (defined by Jesus as those gathered around him in faith and fellowship in Mark 3:33-34) is who that person is to Jesus. The magnitude of the Amalekite defeat in the days of Saul is apparently reflected in the pronouncement of Balaam: "Their (i.e., Israel's) king shall rise above Agag, their kingdom shall be exalted" (Num. Shepherds used this same methodology to count their flock. Nur Masalha, Elliot Horowitz, and Josef Stern suggest that Amalekites have come to represent an "eternally irreconcilable enemy" that wants to murder Jews, that Jews in post-biblical times sometimes associate contemporary enemies with Haman or Amalekites, and that some Jews believe that pre-emptive violence is acceptable against such enemies. Who was Agag in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Their final defeat occurred in the time of Hezekiah. It is related that when Samuel put Agag to death he said "As your sword has bereaved women, so shall your mother be the most bereaved of women" (I Sam. 14:4445) against the divine command and was punished by sustaining a shattering blow at the hands of the Amalekites and Canaanites who inhabited the hill country, the former no doubt being confined to its southernmost end (Num. [Genesis 36:12], Regarding Samuel's destruction of them, a casual reading can lead to the assumption that one big battle was described. The Amalekites harassed the Hebrews during their Exodus from Egypt and attacked them at Rephidim near Mount Sinai, where they were defeated by Joshua. In rabbinic literature, the reasons for the unusual eternal remembrance of Amalek are the following: (1) Amalek is the irreconcilable enemy and it is forbidden to show mercy foolishly to one wholly dedicated to the destruction of Israel (PR 12:47). What does it mean that "the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its Who were the Amalekites? - BibleAsk Moreover, the attack of the Amalekites upon the Israelites encouraged others. R. 26:3). Both Joshua and Moses are a prophetic picture of Yeshua the Messiah. - Amalek & Israel - Land & People - The Amalekites & the Kenites - In the Aggadah. There is no further Biblical reference. Next, the Amalekite who claimed he had finished killing Saul (cf. It seems probable that the wanderings of the Amalekites, or of a particular part of them, extended as far as Transjordan in the neighborhood of Moab or Ammon. That is the danger of dominion. They were among the nomadic raiders defeated by Gideon and were condemned to annihilation by Samuel. The Bible is very clear: those who do not turn from their sin will eventually fall under judgment. However, in 1 Samuel 15:2 this people were still flourishing. Amalek Overview & Facts | Who are the Amalekites in the Bible? [52], A few authorities have ruled that the command never included killing Amalekites. 17:14). Who were the Amalekites? | GotQuestions.org What would make it complete?And they shall come back here in the fourth gene. The Amalekites, throughout their history, were aggressive to the Israelites. Observing this connection, there is no need, as some have attempted, to emend the text of Judges 1:16 from the people (Heb. Where was Moses holding up his arms during the Battle of Refidim? 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). Thus the tannaitic aggadah of the first century B.C.E. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The most immediate answer would seem to be that unlike the people of Ninevah, the Amalekites did not repent, though they were given plenty of time to do so. Amalekite, member of an ancient nomadic tribe, or collection of tribes, described in the Old Testament as relentless enemies of Israel, even though they were closely related to Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. This is seen by observing the Kenites who lived with the Amalekites at the city of Amalek (1 Sam 15:5, 6) and that they earlier had taken up this residence with the people in the region of the Negeb near Arad (Judg 1:16), which was only about twenty m. S of Hebron. Genesis 36 refers to the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, as . It is also customary to recite Deuteronomy 25:1718 (see below) on the Shabbat before Purim. This implies that Israel is commanded to wage a holy war of extermination against Amalek (Deut. Otherwise, their fate, will be identical to that of the Amalekites. 14:45). The Amalekites, descendants of Amalek, were an ancient biblical nation living near the land of Canaan. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Why did US v. Assange skip the court of appeal? For Amalekites in the Book of Mormon, see, Commandment to exterminate the Amalekites, Religious and modern scholarly discussion. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 1 Samuel 15:15 says: And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the 12. Saul and the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:1-35) | Bible.org In doing so he created a line of promise and blessing that was intended to encompass all the people in the world. Saul only targeted the Amalekites who lived in the Havilah to Shur region (1 Samuel 15:7). They were among the nomadic raiders defeated by Gideon and were condemned to annihilation by Samuel. The New Jewish Encyclopedia. According to 1 Samuel 14:47, 48 the king had fought against this enemy. (1 Samuel 15:23 ESV). 25:18; Josh. The proposed identification of the Amalekites with the Amaw or the Shasu of Egyptian sources is untenable. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. 15 And Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore hearken to the words of the Lord. They Amalekites ranged fairly widely, having originated as one of the Edomite tribes. During the reign of King Hezekiah, a group of Simeonites killed the remaining Amalekites who had been living in the hill country of Seir (1 Chronicles 4:4243). The district over which they ranged was south of Judah and probably extended into northern Arabia. Amalek, a son of Esau's son Eliphaz, was presumably the eponymous ancestor of the Amalekites. But why did he do it? The Amalekites harassed the Hebrews during their Exodus from Egypt and attacked them at Rephidim near Mount Sinai, where they were defeated by Joshua. [4] Amalek is described as the "chief of Amalek" among the "chiefs of the sons of Esau",[5] from which it is surmised that he ruled a clan or territory named after him. This is perhaps the most widely ignored command in the Bible. The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Any offense against the line of promise is treated as an offense against God. The Amalekites survived by living amongst other tribes. 5:14). All human beings stand under a sentence of death: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 ESV). Please, New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition. Who a person is toward the line of promise is who that person is before God. Answer (1 of 5): First thing to note, is that the Amalekites descended from Esau(Esau's Grandson is Amalek). Thus, in 1 Samuel 15:3, it was considered necessary to destroy the livestock in order to destroy Amalek. This is the sequence taught by Jesus himself: Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. Suppose something similar occurred here, the Amalekites were completely killed off and some neighbors seeing the Amalekite cities empty sought to take advantage, moves in and became a people. Saul Defeats the Amalekites but Spares Their King. Thus, in 1 Samuel 15:3, it was considered necessary to destroy the livestock in order to destroy Amalek.[32]. [25] Some Muslim historians claimed that the Amalekites who fought Joshua were descendants of the inhabitants of North Africa. They persisted and progressed in sin and wickedness. It should be noted that even the deuteronomic erem, though it does not allow for the sparing of persons (such as Agag), except for particular ones (like Rahab) specified in advance, permits the taking of booty (e.g., Deut. The place lies in the march of the Israelites from Egypt to Sinai. Don't leave a thing; kill all the men, women, children, and babies; the cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys." International Standard Version Now, go and attack Amalek. 1. Amalek, "the first of the nations" (Num. 24:7). And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the But does that mean the entire nation of the Amalekites was destroyed, including all the women and children? The Amalekites were descendants of Esau. Corrections? What was the sin of the Amalekites? - Quora Whereas the Kenites passed into permanent settlement during the First Temple period and were assimilated in Judah (I Chron. An Amalekite is a name for a member of the Amalekite nation. They were created to be his vice regents over all creation. Jewish Literacy. 2 Kings 17:24 KJV. This is perhaps the most widely ignored command in the Bible. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. (1 Samuel 15:23 ESV). 3942); it seems most likely that the reference is to the western Negev, where the Amalekites roamed from early times. Therefore, the archaeologist and historian Hugo Winckler suggested in 1895 that there were never any such people and the Biblical stories concerning them are entirely mythological and ahistorical. In Jewish history the Amalekitesa tribe with genocidal intentions against God's peoplecame to symbolize all those who sought to eradicate the Jewish people, from Titus to Hadrian, Khmelnitsky to Hitler. 1 Samuel 15 ERV - Saul Destroys the Amalekites - BibleGateway 11 Bible verses about Amalekites - Knowing Jesus 30:14). d. Jethro visits and watches Moses Judge the people and offers Moses advice. In Jewish folklore, the Amalekites are considered to be the symbol of evil. During the period of the Judges, the Amalekites participated with other nations in attacks on the Israelite tribes. This past week, Pastor Andrew discussed the fall of Saul and had to deal with 1 Samuel 15:3. If they defeat me, you flee, and if not, come and help me against Israel.". Amalekites oppresses Israel with the help of Moab (Judges 3:12, 13), Amalekites appressed Israel with the help of Midian (Judges 6:3, 7:12). Smiths Bible Dictionary Rephidim (Exodus 17:1,8; 19:2) The name means restsor stays, i.e. Their first encounter with Israel was when they attacked the rear of Israel but were defeated by Joshua at Rephidim (Ex 17:8-13, Deut 25:17, 18). ; LXX ) to Amalekite (), to try to make agreement with 1 Samuel 15:6, since the connection of the Kenites in these two passages is clear and evidence for changing the text is lacking. This put the line of promise in immediate danger: But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abrams wife. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. They were completely defeated and chased as far as Hormah (near Arad and Ziklag) (Num 14:39-45; Josh 12:14; 15:30). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Shur is on the edge of Egypt; Havilah is in Saudi Arabia. Human beings have a special dignity and status relative to God and the rest of his creation. This seems to many to be at odds with what the Bible says about Gods compassion for human beings and animals elsewhere. On the analogy of the genealogies of the sons of Nahor by concubinage (Gen. 22:24) and of Abraham's sons by Keturah and Hagar it may be surmised that Amalek's genealogy was intended to imply his special status as a nomad as distinct from the sedentary Edomites, in the same way as the Ishmaelites or the children of Keturah were distinct from the sedentary descendants of Abraham. Genesis 36:10These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. (I Samuel [11], According to the Bible, the Amalekites inhabited the Negev. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. It shows that Saul's claim that he had destroyed all the Amalekites was quote false and hollow. Judg 12:15 and remarks earlier). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. When God in judgment withdrew His hand of blessing and ordered them to go back S into the wilderness (14:1-25), the people again disobeyed God, and with their own feeble effort attacked the Amalekites. history - Did The Amalekites survive? - Biblical Hermeneutics Stack The Amalekites are not listed in the table of nations in Genesis 10, as they did not originate until after Esau's time. The Vulgate also names David as the author. Introduction to positive commandments, Beer Mayim Hayim, letter Alef, Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, "Timna, concubine of Eliphaz: Midrash and Aggadah", "Shabbat Zachor: "Remember what Amalek did to you!" Their first encounter with Israel was when they attacked the rear of Israel but were defeated by Joshua at Rephidim (Ex 17:8-13, Deut 25:17, 18). First God must prepare a renewed humanity, and only then can there be a restored cosmos. [8] One modern scholar believes this attests to Amalek's high antiquity,[9] while traditional commentator Rashi states: "He came before all of them to make war with Israel". [57], According to Christian Hofreiter, historically almost all Christian authorities and theologians have interpreted the herem passages as referring to real, historical events when God commanded the Israelites to exterminate all the members of particular nations. As descendants of Esau they had despised the covenant themselves and now were determined that none others could have access to what they had rejected. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. There may be geographical significance in the listing of Amalek after Edom in the Song of Balaam (Num. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. 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.It was an unprovoked and cowardly attack upon a tired and weary people, just liberated from slavery, on the way to their homeland. It is customary for the audience to make noise and shout whenever "Haman" is mentioned, in order to desecrate his name, based on Exodus 17:14. He only attacked one city in Havilah. [58], "Amalekites" redirects here. What happens at the Split Rock of Rephidim? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? and only as a remnant whom some of the Simeonites defeated at Mount Seir (i.e., Edom; Gen 32:3; 1 Chron 4:41-43). Who were the Amalekites? Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (1871). [24][25] It is, however, possible that the name Amalek may have been given to two different nations. 13:13 ff. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Access 50+ premium resources. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Territory. 8:2627) except in special cases (Deut. The Exodus and Conquest are thus simultaneously works of salvation and judgment.
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