Exodus 17:8-16 Battle with Amalek

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Exodus 17:8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. [kjv]

ηλθεν δε αμαληκ και επολεμει ισραηλ εν ραφιδιν [lxx]

After the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelites cross the baptism of the Red Sea.

How long does it take Satan to focus efforts on you once you become a (baptized) believer?

If you do not think that Satan exists, try opposing him. Your trials will increase greatly.

Exodus 17:8

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KJV: Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

Hebrew: ויבא עמלק וילחם עם ישראל ברפידם׃

Greek: ηλθεν δε αμαληκ και επολεμει ισραηλ εν ραφιδιν

Exodus 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. [kjv]

17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. [kjv]

Moses gives Joshua some strange military commands. Moses has two helpers on the hill, Aaron and Hur.

Exodus 17:9

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KJV: And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

Hebrew: ויאמר משה אל יהושע בחר לנו אנשים וצא הלחם בעמלק מחר אנכי נצב על ראש הגבעה ומטה האלהים בידי׃

Greek: ειπεν δε μωυσης τω ιησου επιλεξον σεαυτω ανδρας δυνατους και εξελθων παραταξαι τω αμαληκ αυριον και ιδου εγω εστηκα επι της κορυφης του βουνου και η ραβδος του θεου εν τη χειρι μου

Exodus 17:10

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KJV: So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Hebrew: ויעש יהושע כאשר אמר לו משה להלחם בעמלק ומשה אהרן וחור עלו ראש הגבעה׃

Greek: και εποιησεν ιησους καθαπερ ειπεν αυτω μωυσης και εξελθων παρεταξατο τω αμαληκ και μωυσης και ααρων και ωρ ανεβησαν επι την κορυφην του βουνου

Exodus 17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. [kjv]

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. [kjv]

Something is strange about this battle. When did the battle go well? When did the battle not go well?

Moses is exhausted, but must stay there the entire day. His helpers come to the rescue.

Moses had to stay there until the sun was going down. How long was Christ on the cross?

How hard is it to do battle? Can we do battle by ourselves? Or do we need help? When did the battle finally end?

How might Moses on the hill have appeared to those fighting on the ground during the fog of war?

Exodus 17:11

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KJV: And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

Hebrew: והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וגבר ישראל וכאשר יניח ידו וגבר עמלק׃

Greek: και εγινετο οταν επηρεν μωυσης τας χειρας κατισχυεν ισραηλ οταν δε καθηκεν τας χειρας κατισχυεν αμαληκ

Exodus 17:12

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KJV: 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.

Hebrew: וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישימו תחתיו וישב עליה ואהרן וחור תמכו בידיו מזה אחד ומזה אחד ויהי ידיו אמונה עד בא השמש׃

Greek: αι δε χειρες μωυση βαρειαι και λαβοντες λιθον υπεθηκαν υπ αυτον και εκαθητο επ αυτου και ααρων και ωρ εστηριζον τας χειρας αυτου εντευθεν εις και εντευθεν εις και εγενοντο αι χειρες μωυση εστηριγμεναι εως δυσμων ηλιου

Exodus 17:13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. [kjv]

17:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. [kjv]

Moses was on the hill, with his hands held up on each side.

Who is fighting the actual battle on the ground?
Who fought the Battle of Jericho?
Has sin been defeated?

Who might we see helping us with battles when we look up through the fog of war? Oh death where is thy sting?

Exodus 17:13

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KJV: And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Hebrew: ויחלש יהושע את עמלק ואת עמו לפי חרב׃

Greek: και ετρεψατο ιησους τον αμαληκ και παντα τον λαον αυτου εν φονω μαχαιρας

Exodus 17:14

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KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

Hebrew: ויאמר יהוה אל משה כתב זאת זכרון בספר ושים באזני יהושע כי מחה אמחה את זכר עמלק מתחת השמים׃

Greek: ειπεν δε κυριος προς μωυσην καταγραψον τουτο εις μνημοσυνον εν βιβλιω και δος εις τα ωτα ιησοι οτι αλοιφη εξαλειψω το μνημοσυνον αμαληκ εκ της υπο τον ουρανον

Exodus 17:15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: [kjv]

17:16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. [kjv]

What happened to Amalek? What happens to the enemies of this world? Who are the enemies of this world?

Do we still need to fight battles against the enemies of this world? Do we have help? Is it until the sun goes down?

Exodus 17:15

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KJV: And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi:

Hebrew: ויבן משה מזבח ויקרא שמו יהוה נסי׃

Greek: και ωκοδομησεν μωυσης θυσιαστηριον κυριω και επωνομασεν το ονομα αυτου κυριος μου καταφυγη

Exodus 17:16

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KJV: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Hebrew: ויאמר כי יד על כס יה מלחמה ליהוה בעמלק מדר דר׃

Greek: οτι εν χειρι κρυφαια πολεμει κυριος επι αμαληκ απο γενεων εις γενεας

This connection of the battle of Amalek with the cross was made in The Epistle of Barnabas.

English: the Spirit says to the heart of Moses that he should make a symbol of the cross and of the one who was destined to suffer because, he is saying, unless they place their hope in him, war shall be waged against them forever. (Holmes, p. 419)

Greek: λέγει εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Μωϋσέως τὸ πνεῦμα, ἵνα ποιήσῃ τύπον σταυροῦ καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος πάσχειν, ὅτι, ἐὰν μή, φησίν, ἐλπίσωσιν ἐπ’ αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα πολεμηθήσονται. τίθησιν οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἓν ἐφ’ ὅπλον ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πυγμῆς, καὶ ὑψηλότερος σταθεὶς πάντων ἐξέτεινεν τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ οὕτως πάλιν ἐνίκα ὁ Ἰσραήλ. Epistle of Barnabus [12.2]

English: Therefore Moses piled one shield upon another in the midst of the battle, and standing high above them all he stretched out his hands, and so Israel was again victorious. But whenever he lowered them, the men began to be killed. (Holmes, p. 419)

Greek: τίθησιν οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἓν ἐφ’ ὅπλον ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πυγμῆς, καὶ ὑψηλότερος σταθεὶς πάντων ἐξέτεινεν τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ οὕτως πάλιν ἐνίκα ὁ Ἰσραήλ. εἶτα, ὁπόταν καθεῖλεν, ἐθανατοῦντο. Epistle of Barnabus [12.2]