Editing Amalek (section)

===Amalekites===
Amalek is described in Genesis 36:16<ref>{{bibleverse|Genesis|36:16|HE}}</ref> as the "chief of Amalek" among the "chiefs of the sons of Esau", from which it is surmised that he ruled a clan or territory named after him. In the oracle of [[Balaam]], Amalek was called the "first of the nations".<ref>{{bibleverse|Numbers|24:20|HE}}</ref> One modern scholar believes this attests to Amalek's high antiquity,<ref>{{cite book |first=J. |last=Macpherson |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ERSpLM4DZgC&pg=PA78 |chapter=Amalek |editor-first=James |editor-last=Hastings |title=A Dictionary of the Bible: Volume I (Part I: A – Cyrus) |publisher=University Press of the Pacific |location=Honolulu |orig-year=1898 |date=2004 |pages=77–79|isbn=9781410217226 }}</ref> while traditional commentator [[Rashi]] states: "He came before all of them to make war with Israel".<ref>[[Rashi]] [http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9952#showrashi=true]</ref> The '''Amalekites'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA--> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|m|ə|l|ɛ|k|aɪ|t|s}})<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/amalekite |title=Amalekite |dictionary=[[Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary]]}}</ref> were claimed to be Amalek's descendants through the genealogy of Esau.{{sfn|Mills|1997|p=21}}

According to the Hebrew Bible, the Amalekites inhabited the [[Negev]] and [[Sinai Peninsula]].<ref name="Numbers 13">{{bibleverse|Numbers|13:29|HE}}</ref> They appear to have lived a [[nomad]]ic or seminomadic lifestyle along the fringes of southern [[Canaan]]'s agricultural zone.{{sfn|Mattingly|2000|p=48}} This is probably based on the association of this tribal group with the steppe region of ancient Israel and the area of [[Kadesh (biblical)|Kadesh]] ([[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 14:7).

As a people, the Amalekites are identified throughout the Hebrew Bible as a recurrent enemy of the Israelites:{{sfn|Mills|1997|p=21}}

* In [[Exodus 17]]:8–16 during [[the Exodus]], the Amalekites ambush the Israelites encamped at [[Rephidim]], but are defeated. [[Moses]] orders [[Joshua]] to lead the Israelites into battle, while Moses, [[Aaron]] and [[Hur (Bible)#Hur, companion of Moses|Hur]] watch from a nearby hill. When Moses' hands holding his staff are raised, the Israelites prevail, but when his hands are lowered, the Israelites falter. He sits with his hands held up by Aaron and Hur until sunset, securing the Israelite victory.
* In Deuteronomy 25:17–19,<ref>{{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|25:17–19|HE}}</ref> The Israelites are specifically commanded to "[[Damnatio memoriae|blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven]]" once they have taken possession of the [[Promised Land]] in retribution for "what Amalek did to [them] on the way as [they] were coming out of Egypt", a reference to the Amalekite ambush on the Israelites at Rephidim. Earlier, in Deuteronomy 7:1–16<ref>{{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|7:1–16|HE}}</ref> and Deuteronomy 25:16–18,<ref>{{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|25:16–18|HE}}</ref> they are commanded to utterly destroy all the inhabitants of the idolatrous cities in the promised land and their livestock; scripture purports that [[King Saul]] ultimately loses favor with [[Yahweh]] for failing to kill King [[Agag]] and the best livestock of the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|15|HE}}</ref> in defiance of these commandments.
* In Numbers 14:45,<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|14:45|HE}}</ref> the Amalekites and Canaanites kill a group of Israelites that tried to enter the hill country of the [[Amorites]] without Moses's permission.
* In Judges 3:13,<ref>{{Bibleverse|Judges|3:13|HE}}</ref> Amalek, and their [[Moab|Moabite]] and [[Ammon|Ammonite]] allies, defeat Israel so that the Moabites could oppress them. Judges 10:11–13<ref>{{Bibleverse|Judges|10:11–13|HE}}</ref> confirms Amalek as being one of the many oppressors of Israel. 
* In Judges 6:1–6,<ref>{{Bibleverse|Judges|6:1–6|HE}}</ref> Amalek, and their [[Midian|Midianite]] allies, destroy Israelite farms "as far as [[Gaza City|Gaza]]", inducing a famine. They also help the Midianites wage wars against Israel, according to Judges 6:32–34<ref>{{Bibleverse|Judges|6:32–34|HE}}</ref> and Judges 7:11–13.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Judges|7:11–13|HE}}</ref>
* In 1 Samuel 15:1–9,<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|15:1–9|HE}}</ref> Samuel identifies Amalek as the enemy of Israelites, saying "Thus says the Lord of hosts: I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt," a reference to Exodus.<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|15:2|HE}}</ref> God then commands Saul to destroy the Amalekites, by killing man, woman, infant and suckling.<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|15:3|HE}}</ref> This massacre is believed to be a retelling of the raids in 1 Samuel 14:48,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Samuel|14:48|HE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=1 Samuel 15: Matthew Poole Commentary |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/1_samuel/14.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123042732/https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/1_samuel/14.htm |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |website=Biblehub}}</ref> although it additionally specifies that it occurred in the "city of Amalek", which was believed to be the "principal place of arms"<ref name="ellicott" /> or the "metropolis" of Amalek.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=1 Samuel 15: Benson Commentary |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/1_samuel/15.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123080146/https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/1_samuel/15.htm |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |website=Biblehub}}</ref> In 1 Samuel 15:33,<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|15:33|NKJV}}</ref> Samuel identifies King [[Agag]] of Amalek as an enemy and killer, saying "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women."
* In 1 Samuel 27:8–9,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Samuel|27:8–9}}</ref> [[David]] and his men conduct raids against the Amalekites and their [[Geshurites|Geshurite]] and Gezirite allies. He kills every man and woman but takes sheep, cattle, donkey, camels, and clothing. These Amalekites were theorized to be refugees who fled from Saul or a separate Amalekite faction that dwelt to the south of Israel. Gili Kluger believes these narratives were anti-Saul propaganda, designed to make him appear weak compared to David, since no losses were attributed to David.{{sfn|Kugler|2020}}
* According to 1 Samuel 30:1–2,<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|30:1–2|HE}}</ref> the Amalekites invaded the [[Negev]] and [[Ziklag]] in the [[Judea]]n/[[Philistine]] border area towards the end of the reign of [[King Saul]], burning [[Ziklag]] and taking its citizens away into captivity. [[David]] led a successful mission against the Amalekites to recover "all that the Amalekites had carried away".<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|30:9–20|NKJV}}</ref> 
* In 2 Samuel 1:5–10,<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|1:5–10|HE}}</ref> an Amalekite tells David that he found Saul leaning on his spear after the [[battle of Gilboa]]. The Amalekite claims he euthanized Saul, at Saul's request, and removed his crown. David gives orders to his men to kill the Amalekite for killing the [[Anointing|anointed]] king, believing him to be guilty by admission.<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|1:16|HE}}</ref>
* In 1 Chronicles 4:43,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Chronicles|4:43|HE}}</ref> the Simeonites kill the remaining survivors of Amalek and live in their settlements. 
* In Psalm 83:7,<ref>{{Bibleverse|Psalm|83:7|HE}}</ref> Amalek joins Israel's other historic enemies in annihilating Israel. Their attempts are thwarted by God. Although most scholars believe the passage refers to a real historical event, they are unsure which event it should be identified with.<ref name="PC">Black, Matthew, editor (1962), ''[[Peake's Commentary on the Bible]]'', Camden, NJ: Thomas Nelson and Sons</ref> One likely answer is that it occurred during the rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the 9th to 7th centuries BC.<ref name="TNJBC">''The New Jerome Biblical Commentary''. Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1990. {{ISBN|0-13-614934-0}}.</ref>