There are a few possible reasons:1) The Amalekites worshipped idols and false gods. 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. Often used in the plural. *They are the polygamous enemies and powers maiming the destiny of men especially if you are from a polygamous family. 13:13 ff. v, 12), that is to say, weighty, honourable, holy hands, that had never The symbol of the destruction Moses appointed Joshua to lead the Israelite army not because of his own weakness or advanced years but because he wished "to train Joshua in warfare" (Mekhilta, 179; Ex. These ideas of doubt and lukewarmness, as connected to Amalek, are said This evil force is also behind much of the worlds violence, oppression, and injustice.The only way to combat the spirit of Amalek is through prayer and spiritual warfare. As a son of the promised child Isaac (type of Christ), Esau chose rebellion instead of righteousness, the temporal fix instead of eternal favor. testify to the idea that the spirit of Amalek will not be done away with until the coming 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. Verily, 5:14). Amalek's philosophy negates the concept that there is a purpose to humanity or to creation itself-again the antithesis of Jewish philosophy. 2:345; Josh. 3:1) who is regarded as a descendant of Agag (I Sam. In describing the actual battle with Amalek, the Torah says: "When Moses raised his hand, Israel was stronger. is the evil serpent, the strange god. Amalek was one of the sons of Eliphaz and a grandson of Esau ( Gen 36:15, 16; 1 Chron 1:36 ). Answer (1 of 7): The Amalekites preyed on the Hebrews when they were weak during the Exodus from Egypt. etc. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul is instructed by God to destroy all of the Amalekites, but he sparingly kills only their king, Agag. The name Amalek comes from a Hebrew word meaning to be weary, and the spirit of Amalek is associated with fatigue, discouragement, and defeat. When G-d brought Israel forth out of the land of Egypt, He did so in the sight of the nations. The word Amalek appears in the Bible only in reference to a people, not to an individual. Both Joshua and Moses are a prophetic picture of Yeshua the Messiah. contraction of Hebrew words meaning "they loosened their grip on Torah." (Romans 6-8; Galatians 2:20; James 4:6-10, etc.). 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 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). I, 16), and according to tradition he was called Kenite because he originated from In the book of Numbers, God commands Moses to lead the Israelites in a battle against the Amalekites. Seir means Edom, in light of the fact that the concept "Seir" may be applied to a variety of regions (e.g., Josh. you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. In effect, by setting encounters with Amalek in the days of Moses and Joshua, the writers of the Bible were saying that hostilities existed from time immemorial. From this impurity Later the name Amalek becomes the name of a grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12) who becomes a chief of Edom (36:16). 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. 2:55), the Amalekites did not deviate from their desert nomadic character until they ceased to exist. What is the Spiritual Meaning of a Mourning Dove? In regard to them it is written, Whoso hath sinned against me, him will I blot out XXII, The Amalekites were known for their ferocity and brutality, and they continued to be a thorn in Israels side throughout their history. identifies Amalek with Rome (Bacher, Tann, 1 (19302), 146). 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. What does the mitzvah to destroy Amalek mean? In 1 Samuel 15, we see that God commanded Saul to exterminate the Amalekites, but he disobeyed and spared King Agag and the best of the livestock. 5. generation to generation) mean? This powerful weapon will enable us to stand firm in our faith and defeat every lie of the enemy. Although Samuel alludes to Amalek's provocation of Israel, "in opposing them on the way, when they came up out of Egypt" (15:2), there is no mention of the battle of Rephidim and of the victorious war of Moses and Joshua. the cause of the "three great sins" -- idolatry, murder and unchastity (sexual 7 speaks of Amalekites, in southern Palestine, in the time of Abraham. First they were cruel. In fact, they were the first people to attack the Israelites after they had left Egypt (Exodus 17:8).God instructed Moses to have the Israelites destroy the Amalekites completely men, women, children, cattle everything (Deuteronomy 25:17-19). Amalek was a grandson of Jacob's brother Esav. 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. throne of God and God's Name are, as it were, incomplete. The dispute between Samuel and Saul with regard to the erem was not over the command itself, but the extent to which it had been put into effect. It is thy battle, the battle here below, and I will prepare myself for the battle Very difficult. the first nation who feared not to proclaim war against Israel, as it says, and he Neither does the title "king," applied to Agag, necessarily imply an organized kingdom as customarily found in settled regions, and it may be presumed that Agag was a type of tribal chief called a king, like the kings of Midian (Num. the house of Nithza in Lydda18 that in every [other] law of the Torah, if a man is the beasts of the field; another from the side of mazikin (goblins), for the souls of the have no dominion over them. Said R. Abba: When the two (i.e. In 1834, a ruthless and unrelenting campaign was begun against Reb Noson to prevent. of Messiah: Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 25b - But Inasmuch as contemporary archaeology has convinced most biblicists that the biblical traditions of enslavement in Egypt, wilderness wandering, and conquest of the land are unhistorical, traditions about Amalek and Israel in the pre-settlement period probably reflect later realities. Samuel's words more closely parallel the narrative about the attack of Amalek in the Book of Deuteronomy (25:1719), which relates that the Amalekites attacked the Israelites on their way out of Egypt, "when you were famished and weary," and cut down the stragglers in the rear, without mentioning any victorious Israelite counteraction. Read More What is the Spiritual Meaning of the Number 9Continue, Read More What is the spiritual meaning of seeing a kingfisher?Continue, Read More What is the Spiritual Meaning of a Circles?Continue, Read More What is the Spiritual Meaning of the Number 10Continue, Read More What Is The Spiritual Meaning Of Yom Kippur?Continue, Read More What is the Spiritual Meaning of Seeing a Cardinal?Continue, Your email address will not be published. 20:114, 24; Ezek. 14:45). 6. Thus we see that Amalek was the scion of . The spiritual meaning of Amalekites can be seen in their relationship with God and His people.They represent those who oppose God and seek to harm His people. what is the spiritual meaning of strawberry? (Some scholars (Edeleman in Bibliography) have argued that there was a northern Amalekite enclave adjoining Ephraimite territory.) JULY 13, 2021 Exodus 17:14-16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.". When the Hebrew people doubt 17:14). Your email address will not be published. HIM AND HE SAT THEREON: to participate in the distress of Israel. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, the Amalekites could have surrendered and joined them. This brings us to the particular situation of the Amalekites. 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). AND THEY TOOK A STONE AND PUT IT UNDER ). Joshua is a type of Christ here who conquered all sin, death, hell, and the grave. XIV, 12). 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. What Is The Spiritual Meaning Of Yom Kippur? man, started out to fight Amalek, the Young Man above was stirred, and 2 See how Your foes rear their heads. Once we realize that, we can begin to take our stand against the enemy and resist his attacks.The best weapon we have against the spirit of Amalek is the Word of God. The Amalekites are first mentioned in connection with their defeat of the Israelites at Rephidim. Warfare in the Old Testament was a very cruel thing in our modern eyes, even when Israel fought. There are no well-defined standards for writing algorithms. That is how Amalek stands guard to guide us in the right direction. (See Revelation 9:21 which adds "theft" to these others.). (, study of Torah is the antidote to this doubt. The war with Amalek did not end with their defeat, and the Israelites were commanded always to remember the deeds of Amalek (Deut. But the Amalekites were cruel cowards. Thousands reached daily, worldwide 24/7/365. But ultimately, they will be defeated by those who follow God faithfully. 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. The battle (or the main one) was waged in "the wadi," by which is perhaps meant the Wadi of Egypt (cf. Spirit of Amalek. Sanctification, being set apart to Christ, choosing to love and obey Him over self is the primary battle of the believer, from the moment Jesus saves him, as hes on his way to the promise land of eternal glory (Romans 6-8, etc.). So when God told Moses to take revenge against them, He was essentially saying that He would not tolerate His people being mistreated any longer. From http://www.aish.com/purimthemes/purimthemesdefault/Haman_Heir_to_Amalek.asp. This was the opinion of Maimonides in his Sefer Hamitzvot (Positive Commandments 188-189) and in his Mishneh Torah (Laws of . As children of God, as we are crucified with Christ, keeping our hands and hearts upward in worship-filled obedience to the LORD, we will defeat, discomfit the flesh and the evil one! Download our mobile app for on-the-go access to the Jewish Virtual Library, 1998 - 2023 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Not only that, but the Amalekites continued to be a thorn in Israels side throughout their history.They were always raiding and plundering whenever they had an opportunity. sin): Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 28b,29a - Various Amalek is the blacksmith to whom Daniel had been sold for a period of ten years. God, Amalek strikes. earth. They are a people who generations of interpreters have charged with moral turpitude, a filthy and disgusting people. Moses motive in converting them was good, as has been said, therefore God said to Exo 17:16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. What is the Spiritual Meaning of the Number 9. However, the meaning of Amalek in the Bible is actually much more significant. The Amalekites Attack Israel upon the Exodus Amalek represents the flesh and worshipping God is the only victory over the flesh! Joshua wasted or convincingly defeated the flesh and Satan, represented in the name Amalek! See1 Samuel 15:9-15. http://safeguardyoursoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/who-were-the-amalekites-MUSIC.mp3, Does Sin Defile a Saved Person? * The spirits of the Amalekites are the spirits of the ancestors. Amalek, "the first of the nations" (Num. 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. Because of Sauls disobedience, God rejected him as king (1 Samuel 15:23). Grounded daily in the Word. Get those hands up! The Jews had been living in exile in Persia, and, when King Xerxes (also known as King Ahasuerus) banished his queen . And when Moses lowered his hand, Amalek was stronger" (Exodus 17:11). The Hittite spirit wants to entrap you mentally. which a Jew is expected to give up his life. 14:48). The reason was that Moses in his wisdom Algorithms are never written with a specific programming language in mind. Esau, the Amalekites, are a type of the flesh, sin, Satan think: steal, kill, destroy (John 10:10). They are said to be such an infectious curse that the Bible records God's call to eradicate them from the earth. Whereas the Kenites passed into permanent settlement during the First Temple period and were assimilated in Judah (I Chron. were ever a strap of chastisement for Israel. Finally he who had spared the Amalekite from the sword was slain by the hand of an Amalekite,2 Samuel 1:8-10. They are enforces of social castes. he sinned in striking the rock when he was told to speak to it (Num. We should also ask God to reveal any areas in our lives where we may be vulnerable to attack. 2) the first targets of their warfare were the sick, aged, and tired of Israel who lagged behind the line of march (Deut. as the Jews were diligent in Torah study, Amalek had no dominion over them. 1. Those in the flesh cannot please God and will forever be Satans children, bound in sin, until submitted to God (James 4:7). One commentary states: The Amalekites were a formidable tribe of nomads living in the area south of Canaan, betweenMount Seirand the Egyptian border. Some believe that this Amalekite patronage of the Kenites is also mentioned in Judges 1:16, reading (in accordance with a few Septuagint manuscripts and the Latin Vulgate version) "and they settled with the Amalekite" instead of "and they settled with the people." The birthright (bekorah) that Esau forfeited and Jacob procured, involves both position and inheritance. Esau was the older brother of Jacob (who became Israel). the Left, to which are attached the pagan nations who are called ox and specific insight as his persecution of Israel. Verse Concepts. Just as God commanded Moses to annihilate them, He will also one day judge those who oppose Him and His people. As long caused the two tablets of the Law to be broken. Evil has a foothold in this Amalek was the grandson of the infamous Esau, Jacobs brother, Isaacs son. If they defeat me, you flee, and if not, come and help me against Israel.". Gods people were being destroyed by Amalek. Rate the pronunciation difficulty of Amalekites. There were Kenites dwelling among the Amalekites in the time of Saul ( 1 Samuel 15:6 ). R. 26:3). The LORD will love us into hell if we choose to become and remain separated from Him in sin. Exo 17:12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. He was outside the family of GOD, and no effort was ever made to bring him into the family of GOD. 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. complaints and demands, saying, I want this, and I do not want that, he (Jud. They were seen as backward "barbarians" for the most part, uncivilized and inferior to the Chosen People, and became the rallying cry for the Hebrews to "never forget" what they did to them dur. turned their thoughts above and subjected their hearts to their father in heaven they Do you need a new Bible or Christian Gifts? Why did God say again and again that there would always be war with the Amalekites? The spiritual meaning of Amalekites is a reminder to remain committed to the one true God, in the face of any opposition. The Holy One, as it were, said: when Israel is worthy below My power prevails in the Also, the sword here represents the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). A modern teacher/author ties this all together as follows: When the Beit HaMikdash was eventually constructed on the holy Those among the Amalekites who lived in the border regions maintained a relationship to the Kenites, who certainly lived near the permanent settlements (I Sam. Fasting and Prayer. their doubt): Talmud, Rosh Hashana 29a - Now did the hands of All the tragedies which Israel suffered are considered the direct outcome of Amalek's hostile act (PdRK 27). Baptism with the Holy Spirit. The mitzvah to destroy Amalek implies that no trace of Amalek's existence could be left. Without raising the possibility of textual reconstruction in detail, it may be established, by drawing a parallel with the element "people," which appears repeatedly in this song, that the name Amalek in the masoretic text is the authentic one. The flesh, right? XXXII, 33), for they are of the seed of Amalek, of whom it is said, together being called Samael (lit. destroyed? The Israelites were victorious in this battle, but the Amalekites continued to be a thorn in their side throughout their time in the wilderness. In the oracle of Balaam, Amalek was called the 'first of the . They are first mentioned in the book of Exodus, where they attacked the Israelites as they were making their way out of Egypt. by H.S. However, such an interpretation contradicts the meaning of the chapter whose purpose is to relate how various tribes and families became annexed to Judah, i.e., "the people." Butterfly Smashing on Windshield Spiritual, Butterfly Messages & Their Spiritual Meaning Wishing Moonwishing Moon, Butterfly Spiritual Meaning Native American. Additionally, we need to be willing to stand up and fight against these forces whenever they rear their ugly heads.We cannot afford to be complacent or passive in the face of evil. 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. The LORD will have war with Amalek (the flesh) from generation to generation. Exodus 17:16, The flesh is not going away until weve gone away to Heaven! Among these traditions we find that Amalekites attacked the Israelites in a pitched battle at Rephidim, which, to judge by the Bible (Ex. thee. Said R. Simeon: At the moment when Joshua, the young doubt in the minds of humans (i.e, such as in the Garden of Eden story). "Amalek is a symbol, it is a character trait. Though there have been other societies with . Deuteronomy explicitly admonishes the Israelites to remember Amalek and blot out its memory from under heaven, whereas in the Exodus version this can only be inferred (see above). namely Israel above. and sweet water to drink, and yet they complained! Lev. them with the clouds of glory, made the Shekinah go before them, gave them manna to eat, It seeks to destroy anything that is good or righteous, and it rejoices in chaos and suffering. "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 . 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. In the Book of Deuteronomy (25, 19) it is a commandment incumbent upon the people Israel to wipe out the memory of Amalek - "you shall wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven . fighting the first battle which God Himself commanded? mountain, symbolizing the possibility of human connection with God and holiness, its Required fields are marked *. The name Amalek comes from the Hebrew word for dung or desert wanderer. Just as Gods people had war with Amalek from generation to generation, so the people of God under the New Testament, have a war God has granted us grace (divine enablement) to win through the cross (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). The Amalekites were nomadic people who inhabited the southern part of Canaan. The command imposed on Saul to subject the Amalekites to the ban (erem), however, conforms to the version in Deuteronomy. This demonic force was said to have afflicted the Israelites during their wanderings in the desert, and it continues to attack Gods people today.The spirit of Amalek is characterized by its hatred of God and His people. In Biblical Names the meaning of the name Amalek is: A people that licks up. Think with me here .. This war But as soon as Jewish study became lax, they were in danger. Well, first and foremost, we need to be aware that there are forces at work in this world both seen and unseen that seek to destroy us.This includes not only physical enemies but also spiritual ones. The district over which they ranged was south of Judah and probably extended into northern Arabia. Throughout Scripture, we see that the Amalekites were considered enemies of God and His people.They serve as a reminder that disobedience has consequences and that we are to obey God no matter what the cost. Concerning such a case, King Solomon said: There is a sore Repentance, The cross! attaches himself to that sore evil, and he will be punished both in this world Amalek, a son of Esau's son Eliphaz, was presumably the eponymous ancestor of the Amalekites. 2) The Amalekites were extremely cruel. (Gen. 25:18). He was born to Eliphaz by his concubine Timna ( Gen 36:12) was one of the tribal chiefs . Finally, we need to proclaim victory over this enemy in Jesus name! 30:14). (Deuteronomy 17:7), Came Amalek (ib. Nonetheless, there were many important rabbis who ruled that Amalek still exists and that we are still commanded to remember their deed and to destroy them. Instead, David had him put to death for killing Gods anointed king. him, I shall make thee a nation greater and mightier than he (Ibid. That which is born of the flesh remains flesh. Schreiber, Mordecai (ed.). 1:36); the chief of an Edomite tribe (Gen. 36:16 . An Amalekite is a name for a member of the Amalekite nation. world as long as God's holiness is not completely manifest. XXIV, 20). and murder, and his twin-soul is the poison of idolatry, the two They were the first nation to attack the Jewish. In Genesis 36:12, the Torah introduces Amalek: Now Timna was concubine to Elifaz, son of Esav, and she bore Amalek to Elifaz. The Amalekites were nomadic people who inhabited the southern part of Canaan, between Egypt and Edom. opposition to this. Even though He did nothing to influence the degenerate heart and downward plunge of Esau, the LORD God, who is love, foreknew the rebellion, the willful wickedness of Esau (1 John 4:8, 16).