The spirit of Amalek
Introduction
In October 2023, three weeks after the deadly terrorist attack of 7 October 2023 by the terrorist organization Hamas on Israel, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said (1, 2) that Israelis were united in their fight against Hamas, whom he described as an enemy of incomparable cruelty. “They (the Israeli government and the Israeli Defence Forces) are committed to completely eliminating this evil from the world,” Netanyahu said in Hebrew. He then added: “You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember.”
Netanyahu referred to Deuteronomy 25:17-18, where is recalled that God's people were attacked by Amalek. And in verse 19, where God commanded them to blot out Amalek and "not to forget".
In October 2023, three weeks after the deadly terrorist attack of 7 October 2023 by the terrorist organization Hamas on Israel, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said (1, 2) that Israelis were united in their fight against Hamas, whom he described as an enemy of incomparable cruelty. “They (the Israeli government and the Israeli Defence Forces) are committed to completely eliminating this evil from the world,” Netanyahu said in Hebrew. He then added: “You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember.”
Netanyahu referred to Deuteronomy 25:17-18, where is recalled that God's people were attacked by Amalek. And in verse 19, where God commanded them to blot out Amalek and "not to forget".
Why does the prime minister of Israel mention Amalek, who lived thousands of years ago? What does Israel need to remember? Let's dig into Amalek and his descendents.
Location
For the several events where Amalek is mentioned in the Bible, see this page.
Amalek and his people are not mentioned in Genesis 10, which gives the table of nations that are descendents of Noah after the flood. Many generations later, the Amalekites are mentioned first in Genesis 14:7 "Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar. " The Amalekites were a desert tribe. Although the Amalekites were nomadic, the territory of the Amalekites is mentioned in Numbers 13:29a "The Amalekites live in the Negev ".
For the several events where Amalek is mentioned in the Bible, see this page.
Amalek and his people are not mentioned in Genesis 10, which gives the table of nations that are descendents of Noah after the flood. Many generations later, the Amalekites are mentioned first in Genesis 14:7 "Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar. " The Amalekites were a desert tribe. Although the Amalekites were nomadic, the territory of the Amalekites is mentioned in Numbers 13:29a "The Amalekites live in the Negev ".
Esau
Genesis 36:12 and 16 identifies the Amalekites as descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau. So, the Amalekites were somehow related to, but distinct from, the Edomites, the descendents of Esau, who was the grandson of Abraham.
Genesis 36:12 and 16 identifies the Amalekites as descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau. So, the Amalekites were somehow related to, but distinct from, the Edomites, the descendents of Esau, who was the grandson of Abraham.
worksheet on Esau
Balaam
Numbers 24 tells us about the several messages of the wicked prophet Balaam (in Dutch: Bileam) from Mesopotamia. Balaam has received prophetic gifts from God, but uses them wrongly for personal profit. See the doctrine of Balaam. In Numbers 24:20 we read "Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: “Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction” ".
Numbers 24 tells us about the several messages of the wicked prophet Balaam (in Dutch: Bileam) from Mesopotamia. Balaam has received prophetic gifts from God, but uses them wrongly for personal profit. See the doctrine of Balaam. In Numbers 24:20 we read "Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: “Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction” ".
worksheet on Balaam
Rephidim
The Amalekites’ unrelenting brutality toward the Israelites began with an attack at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8–13). Rephidim was close to Mt. Sinai. Scripture records the long-lasting feud between the Amalekites and the Israelites and God’s direction to wipe the Amalekites off the face of the earth (Exodus 17:8–13; 1 Samuel 15:2; Deuteronomy 25:17).
The Amarna tablets refer to the Amalekites as the Khabbati, or “plunderers".
The Amalekites’ unrelenting brutality toward the Israelites began with an attack at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8–13). Rephidim was close to Mt. Sinai. Scripture records the long-lasting feud between the Amalekites and the Israelites and God’s direction to wipe the Amalekites off the face of the earth (Exodus 17:8–13; 1 Samuel 15:2; Deuteronomy 25:17).
The Amarna tablets refer to the Amalekites as the Khabbati, or “plunderers".
worksheet on Rephidim
Agag
Who was Agag? In 1 Samuel 15:2–3, God tells King Saul, “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them, put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
Who was Agag? In 1 Samuel 15:2–3, God tells King Saul, “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them, put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
In response, King Saul first warns the Kenites, friends of Israel, to leave the area. He then attacks the Amalekites but does not complete the task. He allows the Amalekite King Agag to live, takes plunder for himself and his army, and lies about the reason for doing so. Saul’s rebellion against God and His commands is so serious that he is rejected by God as king (1 Samuel 15:23).
worksheet on Saul and Agag
Ziklag
The escaped Amalekites continued to harass and plunder the Israelites in successive generations that spanned hundreds of years. First Samuel 30 reports an Amalekite raid on Ziklag, a Judean village where David held property. The Amalekites burned the village and took captive all the women and children, including two of David’s wives. David and his men defeated the Amalekites and rescued all the hostages. A few hundred Amalekites escaped, however. Much later, 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 4:42–43).
The escaped Amalekites continued to harass and plunder the Israelites in successive generations that spanned hundreds of years. First Samuel 30 reports an Amalekite raid on Ziklag, a Judean village where David held property. The Amalekites burned the village and took captive all the women and children, including two of David’s wives. David and his men defeated the Amalekites and rescued all the hostages. A few hundred Amalekites escaped, however. Much later, 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 4:42–43).
worksheet on Ziklag
Haman and Esther
The last mention of the Amalekites is found in the book of Esther where Haman the Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekite king Agag, connives to have all the Jews in Persia annihilated by order of King Xerxes. God saved the Jews in Persia, however, and Haman, his sons, and the rest of Israel’s enemies were destroyed instead (Esther 9:5–10).
The Jewish Feast of Purim, a celebration of the deliverance detailed in the book of Esther, is named after the lots that Haman cast. On Purim, the book of Esther is read in the synagogue, and every time the name “Haman” is read, the audience drowns out the sound with ratchet-type noisemakers called graggers (or groggers) or by anything loud and annoying: alarm clocks, toy xylophones, balloons popped with pins, dolls that cry, toy police sirens, whistles, etc.
Haman’s evil name is blotted out symbolically, and Haman’s life is an example of the fate that faces those who oppose God and His people. Setting oneself against God and persecuting His people is futile—it did not work for Haman, it did not work for Antiochus Epiphanes, it did not work for Adolph Hitler, and it will not work for the Antichrist.
The last mention of the Amalekites is found in the book of Esther where Haman the Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekite king Agag, connives to have all the Jews in Persia annihilated by order of King Xerxes. God saved the Jews in Persia, however, and Haman, his sons, and the rest of Israel’s enemies were destroyed instead (Esther 9:5–10).
The Jewish Feast of Purim, a celebration of the deliverance detailed in the book of Esther, is named after the lots that Haman cast. On Purim, the book of Esther is read in the synagogue, and every time the name “Haman” is read, the audience drowns out the sound with ratchet-type noisemakers called graggers (or groggers) or by anything loud and annoying: alarm clocks, toy xylophones, balloons popped with pins, dolls that cry, toy police sirens, whistles, etc.
Haman’s evil name is blotted out symbolically, and Haman’s life is an example of the fate that faces those who oppose God and His people. Setting oneself against God and persecuting His people is futile—it did not work for Haman, it did not work for Antiochus Epiphanes, it did not work for Adolph Hitler, and it will not work for the Antichrist.
Hitler, called the Amalekite of the 20th century
The symbol of Hitler's Nazi Party is the swastika, that has its origins in the near east. Archeologists found the earliest use of the symbol in Iran.
Hatred
The Amalekites’ hatred of the Jews and their repeated attempts to destroy God’s people led to their ultimate doom. Their fate should be a warning to all who would attempt to thwart God’s plan or who would curse what God has blessed (see Genesis 12:3). Amalek always tries to attack the Jews when they are weak or doubtful. Notice, the Hebrew numeric value of the word Amalek is 240. And the Hewbrew word of "doubt" (safek) has the same numerical value of 240. See the rabbinic interconnection, including the roots of Haman.
The Amalekites’ hatred of the Jews and their repeated attempts to destroy God’s people led to their ultimate doom. Their fate should be a warning to all who would attempt to thwart God’s plan or who would curse what God has blessed (see Genesis 12:3). Amalek always tries to attack the Jews when they are weak or doubtful. Notice, the Hebrew numeric value of the word Amalek is 240. And the Hewbrew word of "doubt" (safek) has the same numerical value of 240. See the rabbinic interconnection, including the roots of Haman.
worksheet conclusions