SEV Biblia, Chapter 17:8
¶ Y vino Amalec y peleó con Israel en Refidim.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Exodus 17:8
Verse 8. Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel] The Amalekites seem to have attacked the Israelites in the same way and through the same motives that the wandering Arabs attack the caravans which annually pass through the same desert. It does not appear that the Israelites gave them any kind of provocation, they seem to have attacked them merely through the hopes of plunder. The Amalekites were the posterity of Amalek, one of the dukes of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, and consequently Israel's brother, Gen. xxxvi. 15, 16. Fought with Israel] In the most treacherous and dastardly manner; for they came at the rear of the camp, smote the hindmost of the people, even all that were feeble behind, when they were faint and weary; see Deut. xxv. 18. The baggage, no doubt, was the object of their avarice; but finding the women, children, aged and infirm persons, behind with the baggage, they smote them and took away their spoils.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-16 - Israel engaged with Amalek in their own necessary defence. God make his people able, and calls them to various services for the good of his church. Joshua fights, Moses prays, both minister to Israel. The ro was held up, as the banner to encourage the soldiers. Also to God, by way of appeal to him. Moses was tired. The strongest arm will fail with being long held out; it is God only whose hand is stretched out still We do not find that Joshua's hands were heavy in fighting, but Moses hands were heavy in praying; the more spiritual any service is, the more apt we are to fail and flag in it. To convince Israel that the hand of Moses, whom they had been chiding, did more for their safet than their own hands, his rod than their sword, the success rises an falls as Moses lifts up or lets down his hands. The church's cause i more or less successful, as her friends are more or less strong in faith, and fervent in prayer. Moses, the man of God, is glad of help We should not be shy, either of asking help from others, or of giving help to others. The hands of Moses being thus stayed, were steady til the going down of the sun. It was great encouragement to the people to see Joshua before them in the field of battle, and Moses above them of the hill. Christ is both to us; our Joshua, the Captain of ou salvation, who fights our battles, and our Moses, who ever lives making intercession above, that our faith fail not. Weapons forme against God's Israel cannot prosper long, and shall be broken at last Moses must write what had been done, what Amalek had done agains Israel; write their bitter hatred; write their cruel attempts; let the never be forgotten, nor what God had done for Israel in saving the from Amalek. Write what should be done; that in process of time Amale should be totally ruined and rooted out. Amalek's destruction wa typical of the destruction of all the enemies of Christ and his kingdom __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויבא 935 עמלק 6002 וילחם 3898 עם 5973 ישׂראל 3478 ברפידם׃ 7508
