¹⁶ He said, “Because hands were lifted up against^[a] the throne of the Lord,^[b] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites^(A) from generation to generation.”^(B)

The Amalekites Defeated

⁸ The Amalekites^(A) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.^{(B) 9} Moses said to Joshua,^(C) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff^(D) of God in my hands.”

¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur^(E) went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,^(F) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.^{(G) 13} So Joshua overcame the Amalekite^(H) army with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write^(I) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out^(J) the name of Amalek^(K) from under heaven.”

¹⁵ Moses built an altar^(L) and called^(M) it The Lord is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “Because hands were lifted up against^[a] the throne of the Lord,^[b] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites^(N) from generation to generation.”^(O)

³ Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites^(A) and other eastern peoples^(B) invaded the country.

⁹ But Saul and the army spared^(A) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves^[a] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

²⁸ Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn^(A) the kingdom^(B) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.^(C)

⁸ He took Agag^(A) king of the Amalekites alive,^(B) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. ⁹ But Saul and the army spared^(C) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves^[a] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.