Agag (/ e /; Hebrew: gg) is a Northwest Semitic name or title applied to a biblical king.It has been suggested that "Agag" was a dynastic name of the kings of Amalek, just as Pharaoh was used as a dynastic name for the ancient Egyptians. When the Israelites traveled into Canaan, they discovered the Amalekites, who inhabited the northern Sinai Peninsula and the Negev. 1 Samuel 15 ERV - Saul Destroys the Amalekites - BibleGateway [24][25] It is, however, possible that the name Amalek may have been given to two different nations. 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. But 1 Sam 15 reports that Saul defeated them "from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt." 14:45). He said: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 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). But does that mean the entire nation of the Amalekites was destroyed, including all the women and children? 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 record says that Saul took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.. Who were the Amalekites? - Bible Portal 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. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. [26] However, the modern biblical scholar David Freedman uses textual analysis to glean that the use of Amalekite in Genesis 14:7 is actually an anachronism,[13] and in the early 19th century, Richard Watson enumerated several speculative reasons for having a "more ancient Amalek" than Abraham. [58], "Amalekites" redirects here. 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). [40][41][42][43] It has also been described as genocidal, according to genocide scholars like Norman Naimark.[44][45][46][47]. This principle is further illustrated in terms of Jesus response to the persecution of the church by Saul in Acts 8 and 9. 1 Samuel 14 and 15 present Sauls encounter with the Amalekites. 31:8; Judg. 2008 The Gale Group. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:2223 ESV). You can also download the Into The Word app on iTunes or Google Play. And David recovered all that the He only attacked one city in Havilah. The whole creation was affected and is affected by the sin of human beings. Indefensible? Saul and the Amalekite Genocide (19) Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek. The Good News of the Gospel is that because of the person and work of Jesus, all human beings may receive the free gift of God which is eternal life. 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. The Amalekites clearly survived well after the time of Saul, despite his hollow boasts. Save 15% on BibleGateway+ with code SPRINGSTUDY15. 15:4; Ezek. So we should probably think of Agag as an important Amalekite clan leader, not a formal king of the 'nation' of Amalek. "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his end shall be destruction." Amalekites Defeated by david 1 Samuel 27:8-9 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. Omissions? By the time Aaron died, the final location of the Staff was lost, although it was believed to have been stolen from Solomons Temple around the same time as the Ark of the Covenant. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. (1 Samuel 15:23 ESV). 3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have . and more. is there such a thing as "right to be heard"? Rather in Numbers 24:20 Amalek as first is to be understood as its being the first among the nations to attack Israel in her Exodus experiences (cf. The Amalekites. (3) The verse "Remember" is meant to remind all men of "the rule which holds good for all generations, namely, that the scourge [the staff of God's indignation] with which Israel is smitten will itself finally be smitten" (Mekhilta, 181). Im not suggesting this is the answer but its worth considering. Was David responsible for Saul's insane order to slaughter everyone in the city of Nob (1 Sam. Amalek, a son of Esau's son Eliphaz, was presumably the eponymous ancestor of the Amalekites. 15:6). The command imposed on Saul to subject the Amalekites to the ban (erem), however, conforms to the version in Deuteronomy. What we do have is historical documentation that shows that some Amalekites lived well beyond the time of Saul. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. He was born to Eliphaz by his concubine Timna (Gen 36:12) was one of the tribal chiefs (, H477) of Edom (Gen 36:16, 17). What Does the Bible Say About Amalekites? - OpenBible.info Because of this and their many other sins, God vowed to blot them out from under heaven (Ex. 4. Do not spare them. It is difficult to imagine that Mt. They were nomadic and moved around. According to 1 Samuel 14:47, 48 the king had fought against this enemy. It does not store any personal data. 599 Deut. Updates? Therefore, all who are wise will forsake their sin and seek absolution through the means that he provides. They lived amongst the Kenites, Canaanites, etc and if they lived amongst them there was definitely mixing and thus they was preserved. There, they might blend in, or even be protected under the terms of Dt. 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. Further, in their song (Judg 5:14) Deborah (who was from Ephraim, 4:5) and Barak speak of how Ephraim had shown strength in rooting out those of the Amalekites who were in its midst (cf. They persisted and progressed in sin and wickedness. a. 8:5, 12; cf. Accordingly, the main Amalekite center was on the Sinai Peninsula in the region of "the waters of Meribath-Kadesh," which may have been in the vicinity of Kadesh-Barnea, as the Amalekite attack at Rephidim was also in the same area. 3:1213). This is perhaps the most widely ignored command in the Bible. Despite the "pre-deuteronomic" literary framework of chapter 15 and its prophetic-ideological aim, embedded in it is an ancient historical tradition about a war of extermination that reflects Saul's war against Amalek. For Amalekites in the Book of Mormon, see, Commandment to exterminate the Amalekites, Religious and modern scholarly discussion. Answer The Amalekites were a formidable tribe of nomads living in the area south of Canaan, between Mount Seir and the Egyptian border. If we confess our sins and hide ourselves under the merit of his blood on the cross, we may be forgiven and by his Holy Spirit, restored. The word baca means balsam but is also the Hebrew verb for weep. (The balsam tree weeps its resin.) The term "city of Amalek" is not to be understood literally, and it is possible that it means a fortified camp. [7] In the oracle of Balaam, Amalek was called the 'first of the nations'. Their final defeat occurred in the time of Hezekiah. 15:15 ASV). 23:7 -- "You shall not abhor an Edomite for he is your brother.". Consider his excuse for not killing all the livestock, for example. 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). What does it mean that "the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. Where did the Israelites go after leaving Rephidim? the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Eynei Kol ai, 73, on Sanhedrin 96b. According to I Samuel 15:7, "Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of (or close to) Egypt." The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. 8:2627) except in special cases (Deut. You never know. They were created to be his vice regents over all creation. 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. Their final defeat occurred in the time of Hezekiah. 15:33). Next, the Amalekite who claimed he had finished killing Saul (cf. 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). 3:1) who is regarded as a descendant of Agag (I Sam. For Sauls failure to fulfill completely the divine command, Samuel announced to the monarch the Lords rejection of him as king (1 Sam 15:10-23). 5:23). Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. They were the first nation to attack the Israelites when they left Egypt ( Exodus 17:8; Numbers 14:45 ). [25] Some Muslim historians claimed that the Amalekites who fought Joshua were descendants of the inhabitants of North Africa. 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!" The. Saul spared only the best of the sheep and of the oxen, besides Agag. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Amalek, "the first of the nations" (Num. This book was written to address and resolve the 600 year disparity between Biblical history and secular ancient history. the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.