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). 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. 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. The rioters are antifa andBlack Lives Matterand they are inherently anti-Semitic. All are driven by jealousy. [21] According to Samuel Cox, the Amalekites were the "first" in their hostility toward the Israelites. For an Rabbanic explanation of Timna lineage see. Of course, Israel is perverse and rebellious, just like we are today. There is no real purebred Amalek today since, according to the Talmud, King Sennacherib mixed up the nations, Rabbi Winston told Breaking Israel News. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. Amalek was a nation near the land of Canaan. This is certainly countries and leaders like Iran. An expression denoting heat and cold (). Territory. He asks for another sign the next night: dew on the ground, but not on the fleece. He states that "there is practically no historical evidence that anyone in the Great Church" viewed them as being purely an allegory. They need to tempt death to confirm that they are living. Ultimately, liberalism is idolatry. Israel is, quite simply, visual and undeniable proof that God rules the world. America encompasses the idea that the laws of our land are G-d given to protect our freedoms; the belief that there needs to be equal justice under the law is integral to America. Certainly, "chaos is the order of the day throughout the entire democratic 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. 1 Samuel 14 and 15 present Sauls encounter with the Amalekites. The Amalekites harassed the Hebrews during their Exodus from Egypt and attacked them at Rephidim near Mount Sinai, where they were defeated by Joshua. Certainly Jews in the US have traditionally been supportive of those who suffered from discrimination. 22 Feb 2007. The Amalekites seem to have been descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12). Some of the ancestral connections are more obvious than others. They were the first nation to attack the Jewish people after theExodusfrom Egypt, and they are seen as the archetypal enemy of the Jews. Not only that, but the Amalekites continued to be a thorn in Israel's side throughout their history. During the reign of Hezekiah, 500 Simeonites annihilated the remnant of the Amalekites, so God is not still at war with the Amalek. Not just defeat them, but destroy every man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey (1 Samuel 15:13). Some commentators explain this as a reference to the territory which was later on inhabited by the Amalekites. When they joined the Midianites to invade Israel they came "with their cattle and their tents" ( Judges 6:3-5 ). So as soon as Moses tells them to go around the enemy armies, they immediately want to go through the land and fight. First and foremost, Amalek is doubt in divine providence. Gideon calls together an armynot just from Manasseh, but from the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and Asher, too. "And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam and Lotan's sister was Timna." 1. Breaking Israel News asked several rabbis their opinion: Rabbi Pinchas Winston, a prolific author and end-of-days expert, has written several books on the subject of Amalek. Dont worry, theyll be back. Not great for an army thats now down to three hundred men. Every man, woman, and child of Amalek needs to be wiped out. 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. ; LXX ) to Amalekite (), to try to make agreement with 1 Samuel 15:6, since the connection of the Kenites in these two passages is clear and evidence for changing the text is lacking. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. It is a time of merriment, celebration, and partying. Anyone who does the same, who tries to stop the Jews from doing Gods will, from settling Israel, is Amalek. The Amalekites never existed, and the stories in Scripture are entirely mythological. 1. 4. The politics of the progressive Jew is "bordering on the suicidal.". The nation of Amalek is long gone, but they live on as the internal [and external] enemies that the Jewish people battle on a daily basis." 2. If youve read this far, Im sure youd like to know how this ancient Biblical story relate to our lives today! He was the youngest son of his father Joash and part of the smallest family in Manasseh, which was not exactly the dominant tribe in Israel. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. As enumerated by Maimonides, the three mitzvot state: 598 Deut. [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. C. David drove the Amalekites out of Negev into transjordan Edomite territory at Mt. Hence, Streicher's yell, "Purim Fest 1946!" Purim's historical background: The angel touches it with his staff and fire consumes the whole meal, at which point Gideon believes. In particular, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin have defended a literal reading of these passages at length. A major trait of Amalek is the rejection of any rule, in particular the rule of heaven. also Judg 10:12). , he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, also known as Reuel, was "the priest of Midian " and a Kenite ( Judges 1:16 ). A summary of Davids conquests of Amalek is given in 2 Samuel 8:12 and 1 Chronicles 18:11. 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. The Nazis clearly did this. Eynei Kol ai, 73, on Sanhedrin 96b. In the world of media, for example, The Atlantic, endorses the "insane racism of Ta Nehisi Coates" while also hosting a film by Steve Jobs' widow that blames Jews for all the Middle Eastern wars. The commandment to kill Amalekites is not practised by contemporary Jews, based on the argument that Sennacherib deported and mixed the nations, so it is no longer possible to determine who is an Amalekite. Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi, a prominent Israeli mystic, gave a sermon that was published on Sunday. The RSV in Judges 5:14 wrongly changes the words in Amalek to into the valley, although that v. indicates in a footnote that the Heb. Rabbi Yosef Dayan, a member of the nascent Sanhedrin, is unafraid to make difficult judgments with dire consequences. Thus the people of Amalek lived on, to continue to torment the Jews for generations. It is clear from the text that Haman, the villain in the Book of Esther was a direct descendant of Agog. The elders talk about them all the time, but none of them seem to be recent, Rather than being offended, the angel claps him on the back, laughs uproariously3, and says, Yes! According to the midrash (homiletic teachings), after killing Jewish men, Amalek cut off the brit milah (circumcision) of the male Jewish casualties and threw them up at heaven. So God sets about decimating Gideons army to make sure nobody can claim they did it on their own without Gods help. I dont know either., This may not be a literal translation of the Hebrew., The most drawn-out miracle in the Old Testament is Elijahs battle with Jezebels priests of Baal in 1 Kings 18.. - THE WAR WITH AMALEK. Fortunately, this conundrum has a simple answer, although Im not sure anybody can confirm it. "After many years of research, Arthur Koestler, the well . We are approaching a day of reckoning when Jews need to wake up and stop ignoring the existential danger to America and to themselves. Amalek was the grandson of Esau, Jacobs older brother. Some of those Amalekites were presumably descendants of Agag, because of what we read in the book of Esther. Amalek (/mlk/;[1] Hebrew: , 'mlq, Arabic: 'Amlq) was a nation described in the Hebrew Bible as a staunch enemy of the Israelites. God is a fan of raising up youngest sons, and Gideon is no exception. [21], In the exegesis of Numbers 24:20 concerning Balaam's utterance: "Amalek was the first one of the nations, but his end afterward will be even his perishing", Richard Watson attempts to associate this passage to the "first one of the nations" that developed post-Flood. Thus, we must be strong and alert in order to prevail. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Consequently, America is presently in a battle, not only for its physical well-being but also for its spiritual values. Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com. On with our story. That does not make them from Amalek but it is a trait of Amalek., Amalek wants life to be forfeit. 8, 9). A tribe dwelling originally in the region south of Judah, the wilderness of et-Tih where the Israelites came into conflict with them. Exodus 17:14-16 ESV. The Golden calf is the liberal movement in action. Marilyn Wind, President, MERCAZ USA; Sheila Katz, CEO, National Council of Jewish Women; Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, Chief Executive, Rabbinical Assembly; Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union of Reform Judaism; Leslie Lichter, Interim CEO, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; Rabbi Marla Feldman, Executive Director, Women of Reform Judaism; Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive, Central Conference of American Rabbis; and, Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, Executive Director, Women's League for Conservative Judaism, Moreover, in 2017 progressive Jews released an open letter in defense of anti-Semite Linda Sarsour this, despite Sarsour's praise for Nation of Islam leader and rabid anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, and the claim that "sharia law is reasonable.". ADr PremGuides and MagazinesWebsite The Amalekites as a nomadic desert tribe moved in the area from the Sinaitic region and the steppe land of the Negeb in S Canaan, S of Beersheba, over E to include the Arabah region N of Elath and Ezion-geber and possibly the more interior Arabia. And they were at war. This curse begins the forty years of wandering, making sure an entire generation dies before they reach the land God gave Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. The State must defend its citizens. Zogby's initiatives promoted Jews as privileged 'whites.' . Gideon, not surprisingly, is victorious. He reminds Israel during Balaams prophecies that were supposed to be curses: Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction. Amalek reappears as the enemy in the famous story of Moses controlling the tide of battle with his hands. 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. Prophecy from the Bible is revealing itself as we speak. Rabbi Ben Artzi stated that, as the seed of Amalek, this commandment applied to Hamas. a. On the other hand, Gen. xiv. Only if they refuse must they be physically killed. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [22] However, the modern biblical scholar David Freedman uses textual analysis to glean that the use of Amalekite in Genesis 14:7 is actually an anachronism,[13] and in the early 19th century, Richard Watson enumerated several speculative reasons for having a "more ancient Amalek" than Abraham. The other nations followed and were burned but they didnt want to look bad in front of the others now that Amalek had jumped in., We see this happening today. . 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". 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. So its anachronistic, but convenient. [26][27], According to the Midrash, the Amalekites were sorcerers who could transform themselves to resemble animals, in order to avoid capture. Verses 8-16. 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! "Timna was a Princess, but she wanted to convert. We are heading into a very dark time if there are Jews who are ready to give up the Torah laws in favor of revenge. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. Like Ben Artzi, many rabbis throughout Jewish history have conjectured as to the identity of Amalek with the title frequently being placed on the worst enemies of the Jews. And it was an Amalekite who killed Saul, the first king of Israel. Finally, Gideon is convinced, or maybe just scared to ask Almighty God for Yet Another Sign. Anyone who acts this way today is from the seed of Amalek., The commandment isnt to conquer Amalek. Thus, abruptly, ends the story of Amalek in Scripture; we never see them again. Years later, when Saul is under attack by the Philistines, he consults a medium who brings up the spirit of Samuel, and Samuel reminds him of his disobedience and tells him the consequences have arrived: the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me [in Sheol] (1 Samuel 28:1519). This demonstrates again Israels strong antipathy to Amalek. This is an amazing story since it took place decades before the Holocaust. 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! 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. , a prominent Israeli mystic, gave a sermon that was published on Sunday. When God in judgment withdrew His hand of blessing and ordered them to go back S into the wilderness (14:1-25), the people again disobeyed God, and with their own feeble effort attacked the Amalekites. Deut 34:3). Amalek seeks Israel's physical as well as spiritual annihilation. For their crime of attacking Israel in its flight from Egypt, God declares eternal war on the Amalekites: Then the Lord said to Moses, Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, A hand upon the throne of the Lord! In a tradition that encourages questioning and disagreement over text, there is only one way to read this story. But this one,came forward and started and showed the way to others. 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. Ishmaelites were recorded as the descendants of Ishmael in the Bible. On the other, the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar). They were saying that there is no room in this world for a covenant with God., Atheism is an extreme form of Amalek. The Midianites and Amalekites pull out their swords and swipe at anything that moveswhich is mostly their comrades. Now this story is long, but Im telling the whole tale here because its a great story. But this isnt an ideal time. Consequently, anti-Semitism is in full vogue. Valerie Sobel emphatically points out what the Democratic Party has become in her "Dear Jewish American Leftists: It's Time for a Talk." . Etymology [ edit] 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. Later in the time of the Judges the Amalekites showed continued harassing activity against Israel. But then he makes a decision even weirder than the thing with the fleece: he takes some of the spoils of war and melts down the jewelry and makes a golden ephod (a ceremonial coat or vest worn by priests), and it inexplicably becomes an idol that Israel worships. In Vayishlach, the Torah writes about the descendants of Esav. He was born to Eliphaz by his concubine Timna (Gen 36:12) was one of the tribal chiefs (, H477) of Edom (Gen 36:16, 17). It is also a concept and a spiritual reality. But why did he do it? [48], A few authorities have ruled that the command never included killing Amalekites. They didnt merely go to war with the Israelites. The shepherd boy who doesnt see an angel also doesnt compose a song about it. And he saw the possibilities of mobilizing left-leaning ethnic, racial, and religious groups against 'Israeli oppression.' Jealousy and its precipitous hatred for the Jews and Judeo-Christian America unite them. When these peoples came with considerable forces and camped in the Valley of Jezreel (6:33), Gideon and his 300 men, under the direction of the Lord, routed and killed many of them (7:19-23). Local leaders urged Orthodox Jews, who were the victims of the racist violence, to atone for their imaginary crimes of racism and to take up the hateful slogan of Black Lives Matter. I want it becomes more important than anything. Too many men! says God to Gideon. 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 . Agag (/ e /; Hebrew: gg) is a Northwest Semitic name or title applied to a biblical king.It has been suggested that "Agag" was a dynastic name of the kings of Amalek, just as Pharaoh was used as a dynastic name for the ancient Egyptians. [20], Alternatively, during the Islamic Golden Age, certain Arabic writings claimed that the Amalekites existed long before Abraham. In it, he referred to Hamas as the seed of Amalek.. The king attacked and conquered this foe with their city called Amalek (1 Sam 15:4-7) the exact location of which is not known. Yet, the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis (MBR) joined forces with the Hamas front group CAIR. The following individuals want to make Klein a pariah. Yet, as Dean Sherr points out, too many Jewish organizations have a "new set of attitudes towards anti-Semitism: that it is of lesser importance in the west than other forms of racism." 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. Amalek was the grandson of Esau, Jacob's older brother. Travel restrictions are scheduled for the West Bank. Origen of Alexandria is sometimes cited as having viewed the herem passages allegorically; Hofreiter argues that although Origen viewed a spiritual interpretation as having primary importance to Christians, he did not deny that the herem passages described historical events.[54]. Further, in their song (Judg 5:14) Deborah (who was from Ephraim, 4:5) and Barak speak of how Ephraim had shown strength in rooting out those of the Amalekites who were in its midst (cf. They encamp just across the river. Astonishingly, even those allegedly versed in Judaism are in denial about BLM. 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. The rabbis derived these from Deuteronomy 25:1718, Exodus 17:14 and 1 Samuel 15:3. 25:19 Wipe out the descendants of Amalek . Hes still not getting the whole God of Angel Armies thing. When Moses holds his hands up, Joshua wins; when Moses gets tired and lets his hands down, Joshua loses. 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]. 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. According to the, (homiletic teachings), after killing Jewish men, Amalek cut off the, (circumcision) of the male Jewish casualties and threw them up at heaven. In a dream that night, He instructs Gideon to hitch two oxen to a statue of Baal and pull it down. 1 Amalek grew up in Esau's household, imbibing Esau's pathological hatred of Jacob's descendants along the way. After all, we survived! Contact Us Now. 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." However, the timeline gets confused immediately, because the name Amalekite shows up long before Esau does. How can that be? [7] In the oracle of Balaam, Amalek was called the 'first of the nations'. Hadar Susskind, President and CEO, Americans for Peace Now; Rabbi Bennett Miller, National Chair, ARZA; Stuart Applebaum, President, Jewish Labor Committee; Meredith Jacobs, CEO, Jewish Women International; Janet Gurvitch, President, Na'amat USA;
And if you think that is enough, the Torah goes on to say that every animal belonging to Amalek needs to be put to death. 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. Today, 30 years later, one sees the power of this concept: Jews in the United States, like those in Israel, are now viewed by a generation of progressives as 'oppressors.'. He asks for a miracle. Along came an irresponsible man and jumped headlong into it! But each person must ask himself if he has the traits of Amalek.. Im not a scholar, but I can think of three possible reasons. servant of an Amalekite (30:11-15), found the Amalekite camp, defeated the enemy, and recovered his wives and possessions (30:16-20). For example, Rabbi Hayim Palaggi stated: We can rely on the maxim that in ancient times, Sennacherib confused the lineage of many nations. The answer is NO. If you experience technical problems, please write to, undermine the Jewish community in America. Amalek in later history. 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. The story we remind ourselves of each year, by reading Parshah Zachor, is that of the attack of the Amalekites, who are the descendants of Eliphaz, son of Esau (the patriarch Jacob's brother and sworn enemy) and his concubine Timna. God has made His point, so Gideon calls out the Ephraimites to join his pursuit. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The birthright (bekorah) that Esau forfeited and Jacob procured, involves both position and inheritance. And I will tell you! 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. Then why are we servants to the Midianites? It is a time of dressing up in costume, eating lots of delicious food, and, depending on how you read the text, getting rather drunk. [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. The Bible tells us that when the Israelites left Egypt, they were attacked from behind by Amalek and his people. Consider the never ending virtue signaling that businesses, schools, and Hollywood proudly demonstrate while displaying no understanding of the irony [emphasis mine] of it all. Moses, ever the leader (and well past eighty) delegates the fighting to Joshua, who needs the experience given whats coming in the next few decades. Weve talked about two of the ancient enemies of Israel, the Moabites and the Ammonites. Jews are ignoring that liberal - progressive - Leftis/Marxist politics "undermine the manifest self-interest of American Jewry." 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. 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. An angel and a miraculously burnt feast werent enough. [19] C. Knight elaborates this concept by making a comparison: one might say "Caesar went into France", though Gaul only later became known as France. Saul fought a war with King Agog, a descendant of Amalek, and was commanded to kill him, but didn't, out of pity. The Amalekites, like many other people groups, ceased to exist or completely mingled with other nations sufficiently long ago that they left no distinct records. Who Was Amalek Eliphaz, son of Esau (the patriarch Jacob 's brother and sworn enemy), and his concubine Timna had a child named Amalek.
Stephanie Dill Survivor Video,
Can Energy Drinks Affect Your Appendix,
Crimea Natural Resources,
Articles W