"After many years of research, Arthur Koestler, the well . He believed that Purim documented the fate of the enemies of the Jewish people. The Amalekites harassed the Hebrews during their Exodus from Egypt and attacked them at Rephidim near Mount Sinai, where they were defeated by Joshua. When they joined the Midianites to invade Israel they came "with their cattle and their tents" ( Judges 6:3-5 ). Valerie Sobel emphatically points out what the Democratic Party has become in her "Dear Jewish American Leftists: It's Time for a Talk." It has prophecy, judges, betrayal, war, trickeration, some David-and-Goliath, a youngest son, family squabbles, a twist ending (wait for it), and even a bit of rags-to-riches. [23], Although Egyptian and Assyrian monumental inscriptions and records of the period survive which list various tribes and peoples of the area, no reference has ever been found to Amalek or the Amalekites. Can we reconcile with our eternal sworn enemies? That does not make them from Amalek but it is a trait of Amalek., Amalek wants life to be forfeit. And obviously, the residents of Ashkelon, Sderot, and other Israeli cities in shooting range of Gaza, are expecting an increase in rocket attacks. and Gr. But, although many hoped that a "silver lining" around the Shoa might be the final dissipation . In the annals of Jewish history, "[t]he Amalekites, descendants ofAmalek, were an ancient biblical nation living near the land ofCanaan. [53], According to Christian Hofreiter, historically almost all Christian authorities and theologians have interpreted the herem passages as referring to real, historical events when God commanded the Israelites to exterminate all the members of particular nations. Moses goes on to command that for this wicked treatment of an oppressed people, Israel later, when in the land of Canaan, was to exterminate the Amalekites (Deut 25:19). But this isnt an ideal time. Fortunately, this conundrum has a simple answer, although Im not sure anybody can confirm it. But great for God, whose goal is glory for Himself, not glory for Gideon. He marches the army out to meet the enemy, at which point God decides to give a sign of His own. The Amalekites seem to have been fairly well controlled under the monarchy, for the OT does not mention them again until the time of Hezekiah (c. 700 b.c.) Amalek was the grandson of Esau, Jacob's older brother. . Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King Davids Tomb on Mount Zion, believes that Amalek exists in the world today, in individuals and also in nations. Since the time of King Saul, the Jews have faced many "Amaleks", set out for our destruction. [51], Theologian Charles Ellicott explains that the Amalekites were subject to cherem in the Book of Samuel for the purposes of incapacitation, due to their 'accursed' nature and the threat they posed to the commonwealth of surrounding nations. Early history. Early history. Do not forget! The following individuals want to make Klein a pariah. Amalekite, member of an ancient nomadic tribe, or collection of tribes, described in the Old Testament as relentless enemies of Israel, even though they were closely related to Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. For less than $5/mo. They seem not to understand that the modern Amalek will attack Jews, attack freedom, and attack America. Sign up to our free daily newsletter today to get all the most important stories directly to your inbox. The politics of the progressive Jew is "bordering on the suicidal.". That they were of obscure origin is . [3] Some commentators explain this as a reference to the territory which was later on inhabited by the Amalekites. They separated themselves off from the other Edomites at an early date, and became the predominant tribe in the more northern parts of the Sinaitic peninsula, claiming and exercising a sovereignty over the whole of the desert country between the . Rabbi Berger quoted Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, an 11th century French Torah scholar who is known by the acronym Rashi, who explained the verse. Rabbi Dayan played a. central role in so-called death curse ceremonies, or Pulsa diNura, aimed at Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon as a punishment for their giving up portions of Israel and dealing with murderers of Jews. But wait, if this war happened while Abraham and Lot were still alive this was two generations before Jacob and Esau, which means it was four generations before Amalek was even born! In fact, in 1990,JamesZogby, presidentof the Arab American Institute, established a . Elams king has an amazing name: Chedorlaomer., Youre not expected to know what an Abiezrite is or where Ophrah is. [4] Amalek is described as the "chief of Amalek" among the "chiefs of the sons of Esau",[5] from which it is surmised that he ruled a clan or territory named after him. I want it becomes more important than anything. The Amalekites were the descendants of Amalek, who was the son of Eliphaz (son of Esau, ancestor of the Edomites) and Eliphaz's concubine Timna (Genesis 36:12). They were the first nation to attack the Jewish people after the . The name "Amalek" can refer to the nation's founder, a grandson of Esau; his descendants, the Amalekites; or the territories of Amalek, which they inhabited. After Rephidim, the next major encounter with Amalek came following the report of the spies to Israel that the enemy to the N of Kadesh-barnea in the wilderness of Paran in S Canaan, including the Amalekite forces which dwelt in the land of the Negeb, were too strong to conquer, despite the pleadings of Caleb and Joshua to the contrary (Num 13:25-33; 14:38). d. In the time of David. 1. Regarding the Sages statement that the descendants of Haman learned Torah in B'nei Brak, according to this opinion, it occurred out of error, for the Beit Din was unaware that the person coming to convert was from the seed of Amalek, and thus accepted him, and after having already been accepted, they did not reject him (Yeshuot Malko). An ancient empire oppressing the Jews, a young virgin, a descendant of Israels kings, a murder that didnt quite take, a permanent yearly celebration of life is Esther an Advent story? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [44], In addition, many rabbinic authorities ruled that the commandment only applies to a Jewish king or an organized community, and cannot be performed by an individual. Different people can embody that concept. Liberalism is what happens when you take God and meaning out of life. And therefore, God commanded the Israelites to wipe out the memory of Amalek. It tells us about Esav's son Eliphaz and his many immoral relationships: "And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek.. 1 " The Talmud in Sanhedrin informs us of the background to this fateful occurrence. The Bible doesnt specify that God is steering them clear of the Amalekites. However, in 1 Samuel 15:2 this people were still flourishing. Although the son of a concubine, he nonetheless became head of a significant tribe, which in later times distinguished itself as a ruthless enemy of Israel. "plan to undermine the Jewish community in America by organizing the Left here againstIsrael's 'oppression' of Palestinians.". The State must defend its citizens. It seems like angels just appear to everybody in Scripture, but thats because those are the stories worth telling. The Amalekites refer to a shifting collection of tribes throughout Biblical history, so they never had enough cultural identity to leave records. Thus the people of Amalek lived on, to continue to torment the Jews for generations. When a person gets to this point, Amalek has won., People who acknowledge a covenant with God, his existence and presence in this world, they appreciate life as a gift. The Amalekites were a people of the Negev and adjoining desert that were a hereditary enemy of Israel from wilderness times to the early monarchy. And then Gideon goes out to meet them and slaughters the enemies of Israel in the strength of the Lord and everyone rejoices and they make him king and apologize for all the mean things they said about him when he pulled down the statue. Warnings are being issued about specific roads and areas. Territory. Just a few years later, the cycle repeats, except this time Amalek is helping Midian defeat Israel, destroying crops and livestock (Judges 6:14). The prescient Zogby understood how the Jewish left could easily become the willing lynchpin of his strategy. Finally they flee, and Gideon, with his tiny little force, pursues. Thus, abruptly, ends the story of Amalek in Scripture; we never see them again. He was the son of the 86-year-old Abraham from Hagar, the personal handmaid of Sarah, Abraham's wife. Well, according to biblical scholar Matthew Henry, "The Amalekites were probably descendants of Esau (Genesis 36:12), and so enemies of Isaac's family." In other words, they were enemies of God's chosen people from the very beginning. 1 Chronicles 4:41-43 (NASB) 41 "These, recorded by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and [a]attacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and destroyed them utterly . Abraham was given the strength to conquer Amalek through the test of offering up Isaac, by putting aside his emotions to do the will of God. Too many men! says God to Gideon. Instead of confronting the Israelite people in a traditional battle or war, Amalek ambushed them, as a terrorist would. On the other, the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar). Rabbi Dayan paraphrased Rabbi Moshe Charlap, a leader in the religious Zionist movement of the first half of the 20th century. Gideon obeys, but he does it at night because hes afraid of the townspeople; they find out immediately the next day anyway. Nonetheless, Israel has peace for forty years, until Gideon dies, at which point they apparently abandon the golden ephod and go back to worshiping Baal until the next invasion. The third reason is my favorite, because God did in fact command the absolute destruction of the AmalekitesHe says He will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Exodus 17:14)and sure enough, theyre gone! . 22 Feb 2007. Among them were the historian Simon Dubnow who . [20][21] It is, however, possible that the name Amalek may have been given to two different nations. Israel is, quite simply, visual and undeniable proof that God rules the world. He lays out some wool fleece and asks God to contain the dew to the fleece that night and keep the ground dry, if He really intends to save Israel. 25:17 Remember what Amalek did to the Israelites Agag was the king of Amalek (1 Sam. [7] In the oracle of Balaam, Amalek was called the 'first of the nations'. We are hardwired to want eternity and to seek meaning., Liberalism claims to be the avenger of justice and truth. In the wilderness wanderings. It also means that Amalek has gotten mixed into the other nations and a little bit of Amalek is in everyone., Amalek is more than a physical people. Gods call was (as usual) timely, because the Amalekites and Midianites are on the move. This commandment requires killing all the men, women, and children, anywhere and at any time. They also have meaningful things to do with their lives. 4. and his associate kings subdued among others, all the country of the Amalekites, which reference need not be taken as an anachronism, but is to be understood as possibly a different Amalek, or better, that the term is used to identify the land which later became the home of the Amalekite descendants of Esau. b.c. "And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam and Lotan's sister was Timna." 1. The archetypal enemies of Israel, Torah commands the Jews to wipe out the memory of Amalek. Near the beginning of this period, King Eglon of Moab ruled Israel for eighteen years. Hadar Susskind, President and CEO, Americans for Peace Now; Rabbi Bennett Miller, National Chair, ARZA; Robert Aronson, Chair, HIAS; Stuart Applebaum, President, Jewish Labor Committee; Meredith. The second reason is the one adopted by most ancient and modern Jewish scholars. So CAIR, a terrorist-linked group goes from influencing the War College to influencing Congress. They spread out around the camp, and on Gideons signal, they all smash their jars and blow their trumpets and light their torches and yell! First and foremost, Amalek is doubt in divine providence. When a person says that they are not going to speak to members of their own family because they disagree with their ideology, that is a form of spiritual suicide, saying that the ideology trumps all. And he saw the possibilities of mobilizing left-leaning ethnic, racial, and religious groups against 'Israeli oppression.' Prophecy from the Bible is revealing itself as we speak. At the dawn of the American Revolution, John Adams observed, "If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply, than to the sense of this difference? They are killing themselves spiritually, politically, and even physically. For an Rabbanic explanation of Timna lineage see. Numbers 24:20 ESV. After the attacks on synagogues in Fairfax, the major Modern Orthodox synagogues in nearby Beverlywood, the more modern counterpart of the community, conducted Black Lives Matter sessions. Apparently most of them just dunked their heads to drink, because Gideon sends 9,700 men home, leaving him with less than one percent of his original force. (He builds an altar there and calls it Yahweh-shalom, which is a fantastic name for an altar. While the Jews were still in Rephidim, the Amalekites, a mightily and fierce people, descendants of Esau, and well-trained in the art of warfare, suddenly attacked the people of Israel. Ironically, many of them come from the same area of the world what we know today as Iran, formerly known as Persia. [20], By the 19th century, there was strong support by Western theologians for the idea that the nation of Amalek could have flourished before the time of Abraham. Verses 8-16. This cycle repeated at regular intervals. Moses prophesies their failure, and sure enough, the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them (Numbers 14:45). Zogby's initiatives promoted Jews as privileged 'whites.' The answer is NO. At the same time, an extremist rabbi has called for revenge attacks on Arabs, a protest of right-wing settlers turned into an attempt to bring down the home of the Mercaz HaRav terrorist, and a prominent Haredi rabbi, known for his legal decisions, issued a ruling that yeshivot (learning centers) have to fire the Arabs working for them, and already the ruling has begun being followed. In particular, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin have defended a literal reading of these passages at length. Exodus 17:14-16 ESV. The district over which they ranged was south of Judah and probably extended into northern Arabia. An ancient marauding people in the S of Canaan and the Negeb who were fierce enemies of Israel particularly in the earlier part of her history. According to the Bible, Sarah and Abraham who were then called Sarai and Abram were aging and childless. New International Version (NIV). Jews are confusing genuine justice with social justice. | Powered and Managed byDr Prem Community| Designed & Developed byDr Prem Web Services|Terms of Use,Business Terms,Cookie PolicyandPrivacy PolicyApplied | All right reserved | (c). But each person must ask himself if he has the traits of Amalek., Amalek is a symbol, it is a character trait. Amalek was one of the sons of Eliphaz and a grandson of Esau (Gen 36:15, 16; 1 Chron 1:36). Later in the time of the Judges the Amalekites showed continued harassing activity against Israel. This is certainly countries and leaders like Iran. According to the Bible, Amalek was the son of Eliphaz (himself the son of Esau, ancestor of the Edomites) and Eliphaz's concubine Timna. Amalek seeks Israel's physical as well as spiritual annihilation. ). God has made His point, so Gideon calls out the Ephraimites to join his pursuit. He organized Europe in order to give Iran nuclear weapons, even though Iran was calling for Death to Israel and Death to America. He used the United Nations against Israel. They want to oust Mort Klein of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) because he dared to point out Black Lives Matter's Jew hatred and hatred of Israel. Perhaps the greatest lesson of the stories of Israel and Amalek is that Gods commands are followed even by sand and storm and time itself. In the Beginning. Dont worry, theyll be back. There are sixty-six books, but only five naming strategies. 15-33. Not surprisingly, many rabbis and scholars identified the Nazis with Amalek beginning in the 1930s. They slaughtered those who could not defend themselves. Matthew George Easton advocated that the Amalekites were not descendants of Amalek by taking a literal approach to Genesis 14:7. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! During the reign of Hezekiah, 500 Simeonites annihilated the remnant of the Amalekites, so God is not still at war with the Amalek. An expression denoting heat and cold (). Its the second-most-drawn-out miracle in the Old Testament4. It means the Lord is peace.). The shepherd boy who doesnt see an angel also doesnt compose a song about it. This has been accelerated by the hypocrisy and intolerance of the vindictive Left, aided and abetted by foolish bleeding-heart pseudo-liberals who have become accomplices in the undermining of democracy." When they cry ceasefire, it is just like in the Ten Plagues when Pharaoh was stubborn until he got a plague, relented, and then returned to being stubborn until the next plague. Moses sits on a hill overlooking the battlefield, holding his staff (the one God turned into a snake). The Amalekites never existed, and the stories in Scripture are entirely mythological. That Amaleks unrelenting and destructive spirit and action against God and the cause of His people Israel was heinous to the Lord is seen later in the reminder to Saul concerning these wilderness incidents and in Gods command that the king is to destroy these God-defying Amalekites (1 Sam 15:2, 3; cf. Then why are we servants to the Midianites? In the light of Amaleks past harassment of Israel the Lord commanded Saul to exterminate this enemy (1 Sam 15:1-3). The Nazis clearly did this. [13] However, it is possible that some of the fortified settlements in the Negev highlands and even Tel Masos (near Beer-sheba) have Amalek connections. This means that we cannot point at any one nation and say that they are Amalek. This can be compared to a bathtub of boiling water into which no living creature could descend. Caroline Glick exposes the hypocrisy of far-Left Jewish organizations who deliberately choose to ignore the hatred and anti-Semitism of Black Lives Matter. So God sends Gideon and his servant Purah down into the camp of the Midianites and Amalekites to scout it out. But each person must ask himself if he has the traits of Amalek.. But far too many Jewish organizations have given over their souls to the Red/Green alliance. Certainly, "chaos is the order of the day throughout the entire democratic world. She replied she would rather be a handmaiden to the dregs of this nation than be the mistress of another Nation; to punish the Patriarchs for the affront they had made her, she was made the mother of Amalek, whose descendants would cause Israel much distress. The Kenites were an ancient people living near the land of Canaan around the time of Abraham ( Genesis 15:18-21 ). Nation and a character described in the Hebrew Bible, "Amalekites" redirects here. After Saul dies, David kills the Amalekite who killed him (2 Samuel 1:1516) and conquers the Amalekites along with many other nations (1 Samuel 30; 2 Samuel 8:1112; 1 Chronicles 18:11). Therefore, when Hashem your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that Hashem your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. And there is a valid argument to be made that Israel isnt doing a good enough job of defense. Since the time of King Saul, the Jews have faced many Amaleks, set out for our destruction. Different people can embody that concept. They were completely defeated and chased as far as Hormah (near Arad and Ziklag) (Num 14:39-45; Josh 12:14; 15:30). Gideons not convinced. They need to tempt death to confirm that they are living. He asks for another sign the next night: dew on the ground, but not on the fleece. Streicher assumed that the origin of the Aryan race was in Persia, with a connection to the descendants of the Amalekites, who were the worst enemies of the Jewish people. The Golden calf is the liberal movement in action. We know both his mother's name (Timna, a concubine of his father Eliphaz) and his grandmother's name (Adah, wife of his grandfather Esau) (Genesis 36:9-12; 1 Chronicles 1:34-36). To obey is better than sacrifice, he says, and, Because you [Saul] have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you form being king (1 Samuel 15:2223). God sends the enemy into disarray. There is an earlier reference to the word Amalek in Genesis 14:7 where Chedorlaomer (c. 1900 b.c.) I want it becomes more important than anything. Anyway, God has work for Gideon. . The Arabians mention Imlik, Amalik, or Ameleka among the aborigines of Arabia, the remains of which were mingled with the descendants of Qahtan (Joktan) and Adnan and became Mostarabs or Mocarabes, that is, Arabians mixed with foreigners. But God does not forget! Today we look at the Amalekites, descendants of Amalek. Way back in the War of the Nine Kings, the one where Lot gets kidnapped and Abraham has to rescue him and they meet Melchizedek on the way back and accidentally invent a priestly order both older and higher than the sons of Aaron that the author of Hebrews later uses to point to Jesus as the Messiah, there were, um, nine kings. They were nomads as a people dwelling in that tract would naturally be. This continued until the plague of the death of the firstborn and finished him completely.. These people were trying to hide their identity and they have changed their identity many times.. Yet, the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis (MBR) joined forces with the Hamas front group CAIR. 1 Samuel 30:1, 2 points to the Amalekite heavy raiding activity in the area of the Negeb, and Judges 6:3, 33 in speaking of the Amalekite association with the kings of the E in their raiding parties suggests that they may have lived sometime together in the Arabian territory toward the E. The Amalekites also extended their influence farther N into the Philistine country and the region of Ephraim. Who Was Amalek Eliphaz, son of Esau (the patriarch Jacob 's brother and sworn enemy), and his concubine Timna had a child named Amalek. And that is unthinkable. 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. Exod 17:8; Num 14:45). Hes still not getting the whole God of Angel Armies thing. 599 Deut. But theres a slight twist here that changes the course of Israels history. Amalek's spirit has continued through the millenniaits viciousness culminating in the Shoa. Rashi explains the third commandment: From man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, so that the name of Amalek not be mentioned even with reference to an animal by saying "This animal belonged to Amalek". This is seen in Judges 3:12-14 in the account of how Eglon, the king of Moab, collected the forces of the Amalekites and the Ammonites and defeated Israel and took the city of palms (evidently Jericho, cf. Saul fought a war with King Agog, a descendant of Amalek, and was commanded to kill him, but didn't, out of pity. AMALEK m lk, AMALEKITES m l k ts (, ; Gr , ). (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) Amalek was one of the sons of Eliphaz and a grandson of Esau ( Gen 36:15, 16; 1 Chron 1:36 ). As a people, the Amalekites were identified as a recurrent enemy of the Israelites. Answer Ishmael was a son of Abraham, born of Sarah's maidservant Hagar in an attempt to bring into the world the son God had promised to Abraham and Sarah. In Judaism, three of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) involve Amalek: to remember what the Amalekites did to the Israelites, not to forget what the Amalekites did to Israelites, and to destroy the Amalekites utterly. The police are warning that this week marks 40 days after Mugniyah was killed in Syria an event that Hizbollah attributes to Israel and are on high alert for revenge attacks on Israel. The narrative of wiping out the remembrance of Amalek is so important that women, who are normally not obligated in the weekly Torah reading, are obligated to come . For example, Rabbi Hayim Palaggi stated: We can rely on the maxim that in ancient times, Sennacherib confused the lineage of many nations. There is no further Biblical reference. These are the traits of Amalek., Trump has done precisely the opposite. Lets watch. Israeli-born philanthropist and activist Adam Milstein, who lives in Los Angeles, said '[t]he Jewish community is in denial. Gideon, not convinced by an angel, this second miracle, and a dream from God, wants more. In some rabbinical interpretations, Amalek is etymologised as am lak, 'a people who lick (blood)',[2] but most specialists regard the origin to be unknown.[3]. On with our story. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. , the rabbi of King Davids Tomb on Mount Zion, believes that Amalek exists in the world today, in individuals and also in nations. It is a time of merriment, celebration, and partying. - THE WAR WITH AMALEK. Amalekite, member of an ancient nomadic tribe, or collection of tribes, described in the Old Testament as relentless enemies of Israel, even though they were closely related to Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. 25:19 Wipe out the descendants of Amalek He has come up against all the countries that have shown the traits of Amalek., The evil that Amalek planted is still in the world and every person has to ask himself if he has taken on these traits. They didnt merely go to war with the Israelites. "Timna was a Princess, but she wanted to convert. Amalek (/mlk/;[1] Hebrew: , 'mlq, Arabic: 'Amlq) was a nation described in the Hebrew Bible as a staunch enemy of the Israelites. The district over which they ranged was south of Judah and probably extended into northern Arabia. Girl Child -Still a Burden for Indian Wives? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. And weve seen the Ammonite capital Rabbah also tied up with King Davidits where his army was when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. That is because Amalek in gematria (Hebrew numerology) is 240, equal to the word safek (doubt); they want you to doubt what you know is clearly the word of God., Amalek puts emotions over the intellect. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. After that brief mention of geography and Esaus genealogy, Amalek disappears until the Exodus, centuries later. And it was an Amalekite who killed Saul, the first king of Israel. It goes like this. Rabbi Dayan played a central role in so-called death curse ceremonies, or Pulsa diNura, aimed at Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon as a punishment for their giving up portions of Israel and dealing with murderers of Jews.