A) INTRODUCTION.

B) AMALEK.

 

 

A) INTRODUCTION

 

 

Amalekites literally means, “A people that licks up.”  Amalek means, “dweller in a valley.”  Amalek should not be associated with the Amalekites mentioned in the time of Abraham (Gen. 14:7), because, they were a nomadic tribe, occupying the peninsula of Sinai and the wilderness between Palestine and Egypt (Num. 13:29; 1Sa. 15:7; 27:8).  Arab writers represent them as sprung from Ham, and originally in a region by the Persian Gulf.  They then pressed westward by Assyria, spreading over Arabia before its occupation by Joktan's descendants.  This would accord with the mention of them in Genesis 14:7, long before Esau's grandson, the Edomite Amalek.  Also, along with Judges 3:13; 5:14; 12:15, where “Amalek” and “the mount of the Amalekites” appear in central Palestine, whither they would come in their passage westward.  Scripture nowhere else mentions any relationship of them with the tribe of Amalek.

 

 

B) AMALEK

 

 

According to Genesis 36:12 & 16 & First Chronicles 1:36, Amalek was the son of Eliphaz, via a concubine of his by the name of Timna, he being called a “Duke” in Genesis 36:16.  Now Eliphaz was the son of Esau (Jacob’s brother) and his wife Adah.  His mother Adah was a Horite, a tribe whose territory the descendants of Esau had seized.  The statement in Numbers 24:20, “the first of the nations,” does not imply that the older tribe of the Amalekites is now applied to the tribe of Amalek as being older.  Rather, it is most likely that Amalek was the first tribe (through blood relatives) to attack its brother tribe of Israel (see Psa. 83:7).

 

Amalek dwelt in the southern part of Canaan, on the mountains of Seir.  Mount Seir is the mountainous region between the Dead Sea and the Elanitic Gulf, which is the northern half of which is called “Jabal” by the Arabs, and the southern half, “Sherah” (see “Rob. Pal.” ii. 552).

 

The Amalek’s were the first to oppose Israel after their exodus from Egypt (Exo. 17:8).  However, they were discomfited at Rephidim through the intercession of Moses (Exo. 17:9-13), and doomed to utter destruction for their opposing of Israel (Exo. 17:14 & 16; Deu. 25:19), with their utter destruction being foretold in Numbers 24:20.  This never occurred because Israel did not follow God’s instructions.

 

During the time of the Judges they United with Eglon against Israel (Jud. 3:13); and also with Midian (Jud. 6:3-5).

 

Finally, King Saul was commissioned to destroy them (1Sa. 15:1-3).  And he massacred those he came in contact with (1Sa. 15:4-8); but was condemned for not utterly destroying them (1Sa. 15:9-26; 1Sa. 28:18).

 

In Hezekiah’s reign, the last remnant of Amalek in Edom was dispersed by the Simeonites (1Ch. 4:42-43).

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