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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Exodus 17:16

For with a secret hand the Lord wages war upon Amalec to all generations.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Amalekites;   Moses;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amalekites, the;   Theocracy, the, or Immediate Government by God;   War;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Amalekites;   Joshua;   Rephidim;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Amalekites;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Esther, Theology of;   War, Holy War;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Joshua;   Rephidim;   Wars of the Lord, the Book of the;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Amalekites;   David;   Esther;   Haman;   Numbers, the Book of;   Purim;   War;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amalekite;   Exodus, Book of;   Mount Sinai;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amalek, Amalekites;   Jehovah-Nissi;   Joshua;   Massah and Meribah;   Moses;   Zin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Agagite ;   Amalek, Amalekites ;   Mordecai ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Ensign;   Mordecai;   Mount amalek;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Altar;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Rephidim;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Am'alekites,;   Mo'ses;   Pu'rim;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Agag;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Sinai;   On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Intercession;   Moses;   Purim;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Alexandri;   Amalek, Amalekites;   Eschatology;   Phylacteries;   Purim;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He said, "The LORD has sworn: 'The LORD will have war with `Amalek from generation to generation.'"
King James Version
For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Lexham English Bible
And he said, "Because a hand was against the throne of Yah, a war will be for Yahweh with Amalek from generation to generation."
New Century Version
Moses said, "I lifted my hands toward the Lord 's throne. The Lord will fight against the Amalekites forever."
New English Translation
for he said, "For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord —that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
Amplified Bible
saying, "The LORD has sworn [an oath]; the LORD will have war against [the people of] Amalek from generation to generation."
New American Standard Bible
and he said, "Because the LORD has sworn, the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Also he said, The Lord hath sworne, that he will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation.
Legacy Standard Bible
and he said, "Because He has sworn with a hand upon the throne of Yah, Yahweh will have war against Amalek from generation to generation."
Contemporary English Version
Then Moses explained, "This is because I depended on the Lord . But in future generations, the Lord will have to fight the Amalekites again."
Complete Jewish Bible
and said, "Because their hand was against the throne of Yah, Adonai will fight ‘Amalek generation after generation." Haftarah B'shallach: Shof'tim (Judges) 4:4–5:31 (A); 5:1–31 (S) B'rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah B'shallach: Luke 2:22–24; Yochanan (John) 6:25–35; 19:31–37; 1 Corinthians 10:1–13; 2 Corinthians 8:1–15; Revelation 15:1–4
Darby Translation
And he said, For the hand is on the throne of Jah; Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation!
Easy-to-Read Version
Moses said, "I lifted my hands toward the Lord 's throne. So the Lord fought against the Amalekites, as he always has."
English Standard Version
saying, "A hand upon the throne of the Lord ! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
George Lamsa Translation
For he said, Behold, as the LORD has sworn, the LORD will fight with Amalek from generation to generation.
Good News Translation
He said, "Hold high the banner of the Lord ! The Lord will continue to fight against the Amalekites forever!"
Christian Standard Bible®
He said, “Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward the Lord’s throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Literal Translation
And he said, A hand is on the throne of Jehovah; war is to Jehovah with Amalek from generation to generation.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for he sayde: The battayll of the LORDE shalbe agaynst Amalek thorow an hande vnder the defence of God from childe to childes childe.
American Standard Version
and he said, Jehovah hath sworn: Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Bible in Basic English
For he said, The Lord has taken his oath that there will be war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For he said: the hande is on the seate of God, the Lord wil haue warre with Amalec fro generation to generation.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'The hand upon the throne of the LORD: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'
King James Version (1611)
For he said, Because the Lord hath sworne that the Lord will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation.
English Revised Version
and he said, The LORD hath sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Berean Standard Bible
"Indeed," he said, "a hand was lifted up toward the throne of the LORD. The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide, For the hond of the Lord aloone, and the bateil of God schal be ayens Amalech, fro generacioun in to generacioun.
Young's Literal Translation
and saith, `Because a hand [is] on the throne of Jah, war [is] to Jehovah with Amalek from generation -- generation.'
Update Bible Version
And he said, Since a hand was raised to Yah's throne, Yahweh will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Webster's Bible Translation
For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn [that] the LORD [will have] war with Amalek from generation to generation.
World English Bible
He said, "Yah has sworn: 'Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'"
New King James Version
for he said, "Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
New Living Translation
He said, "They have raised their fist against the Lord 's throne, so now the Lord will be at war with Amalek generation after generation."
New Life Bible
And he said, "Because the Lord has promised to have war against Amalek through all time."
New Revised Standard
He said, "A hand upon the banner of the Lord ! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said - Because of a hand against the throne of Yah, Yahweh hath war with Amalek, - from generation to generation!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because the hand of the throne of the Lord, and the war of the Lord shall be against Amalec, from generation to generation.
Revised Standard Version
saying, "A hand upon the banner of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Am'alek from generation to generation."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and he said, "The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation."

Contextual Overview

8 And Amalec came and fought with Israel in Raphidin. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, Choose out for thyself mighty men, and go forth and set the army in array against Amalec to-morrow; and, behold, I shall stand on the top of the hill, and the rod of God will be in my hand. 10 And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, Amalec prevailed. 12 But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua routed Amalec and all his people with the slaughter of the sword. 14 And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and speak this in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly blot out the memorial of Amalec from under heaven. 15 And Moses built an altar to the Lord, and called the name of it, The Lord my Refuge. 16 For with a secret hand the Lord wages war upon Amalec to all generations.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Because: etc. or, Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the Lord, therefore, etc. the Lord, etc. Heb. the hand upon the throne of the Lord. Isaiah 66:1, Acts 7:49

will have war: Psalms 21:8-11

Reciprocal: Numbers 14:45 - the Amalekites Numbers 24:20 - the first of the nations Numbers 31:3 - avenge the Lord Deuteronomy 1:31 - in the wilderness Deuteronomy 25:19 - thou shalt Esther 3:2 - bowed not Esther 9:10 - enemy Isaiah 14:24 - Lord Amos 8:7 - I will Acts 7:36 - and in the wilderness

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seas and flying creatures of heaven, and all the cattle and all the earth, and all the reptiles that creep on the earth.
Genesis 12:2
And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.
Genesis 17:6
And I will increase thee very exceedingly, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Genesis 17:10
And this is the covenant which thou shalt fully keep between me and you, and between thy seed after thee for their generations; every male of you shall be circumcised.
Genesis 17:14
And the uncircumcised male, who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from its family, for he has broken my covenant.
Genesis 17:26
And at the period of that day, Abraam was circumcised, and Ismael his son,
Genesis 24:60
And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; become thou thousands of myriads, and let thy seed possess the cities of their enemies.
Genesis 35:11
And God said to him, I am thy God; increase and multiply; for nations and gatherings of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins.
Isaiah 49:23
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their princesses thy nurses, they shall bow down to thee on the face of the earth, and shall lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, and they that wait on me shall not be ashamed.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For he said, because the Lord hath sworn,.... So some Jewish writers b take it for an oath, as we do; or "because the hand is on the throne of the Lord" c; which the Targum of Jonathan, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra, interpret of the hand of the Lord being lifted up, of his swearing by the throne of his glory; but, as Drusius observes, it is not credible that God should swear by that which is prohibited by Christ, Matthew 5:24 rather the words are to be rendered, "because the hand", that is, the hand of Amalek, "is against the throne of the Lord" d; against his people, among whom his throne was, and over whom he ruled, so against himself, and the glory of his majesty; because he was the first that made war upon Israel, when the Lord brought them out of Egypt, and unprovoked fell upon their rear, and smote the hindmost, faint and weary among them: therefore

the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation; until they are utterly destroyed; and so in fact he had, and thus it was. The Targum of Jonathan is,

"he by his word will make war against those that are of the house of Amalek, and destroy them to three generations, from the generation of this world, from the generation of the Messiah, and from the generation of the world to come;''

and Baal Hatturim on the place observes, that this phrase, "from generation to generation", by gematry, signifies the days of the Messiah. Amalek may be considered as a type of antichrist, whose hand is against the throne of God, his tabernacle, and his saints; who, with all the antichristian states which make war with the Lamb, will be overcome and destroyed by him.

b R. Sol. Urbin. fol. 95. 1. c כי יד על כס-יה "quia manus super thronum Domini", Pagninus, Montanus; "sublata manu super solium Dei (juro)", Tigurine version. d "Quia manus (Hamaleki) fuit contra solium Jah", Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Because the Lord hath sworn - This rendering is incorrect. Our translators regard the expression as a solemn asseveration by the throne of God. However, to this the objections are insuperable; it has no parallel in Scriptural usage: God swears by Himself, not by His Throne. As the Hebrew text now stands the meaning is more satisfactorily given in the margin.

An alteration, slight in form, but considerable in meaning, has been proposed with much confidence, namely, נס nês, “standard” for כסא kı̂ssê', “throne”; thus connecting the name of the altar with the sentence. Conjectural emendations are not to be adopted without necessity, and the obvious a priori probability of such a reading makes it improbable that one so far more difficult should have been substituted for it. One of the surest canons of criticism militates against its reception. As it stands, the text was undoubtedly that which was alone known to the Targumists, the Samaritan, the Syriac, the Latin and the Arabic translators. The Septuagint appears to have had a different reading: ἐν χειρὶ κρυφαίᾳ πολεμεῖ en cheiri kruphē polemeō.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 17:16. The Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek, c. — This is no translation of the words כי יד על כס יה מלחמה ki yad al kes yah milckamah, which have been variously rendered by different translators and critics the most rational version of which is the following: Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of God, therefore will I have war with Amalek from generation to generation. This gives a tolerably consistent sense, yet still there is considerable obscurity in the passage. Houbigant, a most judicious though bold critic, supposes that, as יהוה נסי Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah my ensign, was spoken of immediately before, כס kes, a throne, in this verse, is an error of some transcriber for נס nes, an ensign, which might be readily occasioned by the great similarity between the כ caph and the ×  nun. He thinks farther that the two letters יה yah, which are supposed to be here a contraction of the word יהוה Yehovah, are separated, the י yod from the נס nes, which should be written נשי nissi, and the ה he, from מלחמה milchamah, which should be written המלחמה hammilchamah, and then the whole verse will run thus: For the hand shall be upon the ensigns of war unto the Lord, against Amalek for ever, i.e., God makes now a declaration of war against the Amalekites, which shall continue till their final destruction. The conjecture of Mr. Julius Bate, in his Literal Translation of the Pentateuch, deserves attention. He supposes that, as כס cos signifies a cup, and a cup is emblematically used for wrath, on one of the stones of the altar, mentioned in the preceding verse, a hand holding a cup was sculptured, this being a memorial, according to the custom of hieroglyphical writing, that the Lord would continue the cup of wrath, portending continual war, against Amalek for ever. I prefer Houbigant's exposition.

1. THIS first victory of Israel must have inspired them with a considerable measure of confidence in God, and in his servant Moses. Though God alone could give them the victory, yet it was necessary to show them that it was by the influence of Moses they got it. Moses could not deliver Amalek into their hands; yet if Moses did not continue to hold up his hands, i.e., to pray, Amalek must prevail. God, therefore, wrought this work in such a way as to instruct the people, promote his own glory, and secure the true honour of his servant. The Divine Being always performs the greatest number possible of ends, by the fewest and simplest means. In every work of God there is as much of wisdom and economy, as there is of sovereign uncontrolled power.

2. It is not probable that the people whom Joshua chose out to lead against Amalek were unarmed; and we have already seen that it is not at all likely that they came armed out of Egypt. And as the whole circumstances of this case show that those who fought against the Amalekites were properly equipped for the fight, we may then safely presume that they got their arms from the Egyptians, whose bodies were thrown on the shore after having been overwhelmed in the Red Sea. Thus, what was a judgment in the one case, was a most gracious providence in the other. Judgment on God's foes is mercy to his friends.

3. Of the efficacy of prayer we have already had the most striking examples. He who has the spirit of prayer, has the highest interest in the court of heaven; and the only way to retain it, is to keep it in constant employment. Apostasy begins in the closet: no man ever backslid from the life and power of Christianity who continued constant and fervent, especially in private prayer. He who prays without ceasing is likely to rejoice evermore.


 
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