Focused Passage

Exodus 17:8-16

Water from the Rock and War with Amalek

Israel quarrels with Moses because there is no water, tests the LORD’s presence, receives water from the rock at Horeb, faces Amalek in battle, and learns that victory comes through the LORD’s upheld servant and the LORD’s banner over His people.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”

10 Joshua did as Moses had instructed him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11 As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

12 When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.

13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua, because I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

15 And Moses built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner.

16 “Indeed,” he said, “a hand was lifted up toward the throne of the LORD. The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

After this, the Amalekites עֲמָלֵ֑ק H6002 Noun - proper - masculine singular came וַיָּבֹ֖א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and attacked וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם H3898 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . עִם־ H5973 Preposition the Israelites יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular at Rephidim בִּרְפִידִֽם׃ H7508 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

So Moses מֹשֶׁ֤ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ H3091 Noun - proper - masculine singular Choose בְּחַר־ H977 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular vvv לָ֣נוּ Preposition | first person common plural some of our men אֲנָשִׁ֔ים H582 Noun - masculine plural and go out וְצֵ֖א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular to fight הִלָּחֵ֣ם H3898 Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular the Amalekites בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק H6002 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular Tomorrow מָחָ֗ר H4279 Adverb I אָנֹכִ֤י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular will stand נִצָּב֙ H5324 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the hilltop רֹ֣אשׁ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַגִּבְעָ֔ה H1389 Article | Noun - feminine singular with the staff וּמַטֵּ֥ה H4294 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of God הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural in my hand בְּיָדִֽי׃ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 10

Original words

Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ H3091 Noun - proper - masculine singular did וַיַּ֣עַשׂ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular had instructed אָֽמַר־ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular him לוֹ֙ Preposition | third person masculine singular and fought לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם H3898 Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct against the Amalekites בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק H6002 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular while Moses וּמֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular Aaron אַהֲרֹ֣ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular and Hur וְח֔וּר H2354 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular went up עָל֖וּ H5927 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to the top רֹ֥אשׁ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct of the hill הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ H1389 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

- וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular As long as כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative Moses מֹשֶׁ֛ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular held up יָרִ֥ים H7311 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular his hands יָד֖וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular prevailed וְגָבַ֣ר H1396 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular but when וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative he lowered יָנִ֛יחַ H5117 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular [them] יָד֖וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Amalek עֲמָלֵֽק׃ H6002 Noun - proper - masculine singular prevailed וְגָבַ֥ר H1396 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

When Moses’ מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular hands וִידֵ֤י H3027 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct grew heavy כְּבֵדִ֔ים H3515 Adjective - masculine plural they took וַיִּקְחוּ־ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural a stone אֶ֛בֶן H68 Noun - feminine singular and put וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural it under him תַחְתָּ֖יו H8478 Preposition | third person masculine singular and he sat וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular on it עָלֶ֑יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular Then Aaron וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן H175 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Hur וְח֜וּר H2354 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular held תָּֽמְכ֣וּ H8551 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural his hands up בְיָדָ֗יו H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular one מִזֶּ֤ה H2088 Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singular on each אֶחָד֙ H259 Number - masculine singular . . . וּמִזֶּ֣ה H2088 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singular side אֶחָ֔ד H259 Number - masculine singular so that his hands יָדָ֛יו H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular remained וַיְהִ֥י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular steady אֱמוּנָ֖ה H530 Noun - feminine singular until עַד־ H5704 Preposition the sun הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ H8121 Article | Noun - common singular went down בֹּ֥א H935 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 13

Original words

So Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ H3091 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker overwhelmed וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ H2522 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Amalek עֲמָלֵ֥ק H6002 Noun - proper - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and his army עַמּ֖וֹ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . לְפִי־ H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct with the sword חָֽרֶב׃פ H2719 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֗ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular Write this כְּתֹ֨ב H3789 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . זֹ֤את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular on a scroll בַּסֵּ֔פֶר H5612 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular as a reminder זִכָּרוֹן֙ H2146 Noun - masculine singular and recite וְשִׂ֖ים H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . בְּאָזְנֵ֣י H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct it to Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ H3091 Noun - proper - masculine singular because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction I will utterly blot out מָחֹ֤ה H4229 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . אֶמְחֶה֙ H4229 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the memory זֵ֣כֶר H2143 Noun - masculine singular construct of Amalek עֲמָלֵ֔ק H6002 Noun - proper - masculine singular from under מִתַּ֖חַת H8478 Preposition-m heaven הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 15

Original words

And Moses מֹשֶׁ֖ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular built וַיִּ֥בֶן H1129 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular an altar מִזְבֵּ֑חַ H4196 Noun - masculine singular and named וַיִּקְרָ֥א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular it שְׁמ֖וֹ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular The LORD יְהוָ֥ה׀ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular Is My Banner נִסִּֽי׃ H5251 Noun - proper - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew YHWH Nissi
Verse 16

Original words

Indeed כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction he said וַיֹּ֗אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular a hand יָד֙ H3027 Noun - feminine singular was lifted up toward עַל־ H5921 Preposition the throne כֵּ֣ס H3676 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יָ֔הּ H3050 Noun - proper - masculine singular The LORD לַיהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular will war מִלְחָמָ֥ה H4421 Noun - feminine singular against Amalek בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק H6002 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular from generation מִדֹּ֖ר H1755 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular to generation דֹּֽר׃פ H1755 Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.