¹⁷ Remember what the Amalekites^(A) did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. ¹⁸ When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.^{(B) 19} When the Lord your God gives you rest^(C) from all the enemies^(D) around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek^(E) from under heaven. Do not forget!

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)

² This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites^(A) for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. ³ Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally^(B) destroy^[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

⁴ So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. ⁵ Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. ⁶ Then he said to the Kenites,^(C) “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

⁷ Then Saul attacked the Amalekites^(D) all the way from Havilah to Shur,^(E) near the eastern border of Egypt. ⁸ He took Agag^(F) king of the Amalekites alive,^(G) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. ⁹ But Saul and the army spared^(H) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves^[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

⁷ Do not despise an Edomite,^(A) for the Edomites are related to you.^(B) Do not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in their country.^(C)

Balaam’s Fifth Message

²⁰ Then Balaam saw Amalek^(F) and spoke his message:

⁷ Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh),^(A) and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites,^(B) as well as the Amorites^(C) who were living in Hazezon Tamar.^(D)