SPECIAL TOPIC: AMALEK

This desert tribe (BDB 766) came from Esau's line (cf. Gen. 36:11,12). They are linked to the area that later became Edom (cf. Gen. 36:15,16). They are known only from the Hebrew Bible. They were a fierce, nomadic tribe.

Israel had several encounters with this tribe.

1. Exod. 17:8-16
2. Num. 14:43; 24:20
3. Deut. 25:17-19
4. Jdgs. 3:13: 5:14; 6:3,33; 7:12; 10:12; 12:15
5. 1 Sam. 14:48; 15:6-8,15,18,20,32; 27:8; 28:18; 30:1,13,18
6. 1 Chr. 4:41-43
7. Ps. 83:1-8

For their cruelty to YHWH's covenant people, they would be destroyed completely (cf. INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB, "utterly blot out," of Exod. 17:14, cf. Deut. 25:19). However, in Exod. 17:13 a Hebrew word is used that means "weakened" (BDB 325, KB 324, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) but does not denote the complete defeat mentioned in 1 Chr. 4:43 (alluded to in Exod. 17:14).

For more detailed information, see ABD, vol. 1, pp. 167-169.

Copyright © 2020 Bible Lessons International