The Amalekites were the descendants of Esau through his grandson Amalek, and were a troublesome group living in Canaan. They were known for their aggression and frequent attacks on the Israelites. One of the earliest encounters occurred when the Amalekites attacked the Israelites as they were traveling through the desert. In a famous battle described in Exodus 17:8-13, Moses stood on a hill with his arms raised, and as long as his arms were up, the Israelites kept winning. When he grew tired, Aaron and Hur helped keep his arms up until they won.
Years later, God commanded King Saul to completely defeat the Amalekites and destroy all their possessions (1 Samuel 15:1-3). However, Saul disobeyed and kept some valuable items and spared their king, Agag (1 Samuel 15:7-9). This disobedience displeased God, and the prophet Samuel had to finish the job. Samuel rebuked Saul for not fully obeying God and dealt with King Agag himself (1 Samuel 15:10-35).
Eventually, the Amalekites ceased to be a threat, and the Bible stopped mentioning them. This event teaches us the importance of obeying God’s commands and shows that with God’s help, even challenging battles can be won.
