Deuteronomy 25:18
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
They attacked you when you were exhausted and weary, and they struck down those who were straggling behind. They had no fear of God.

English Standard Version
how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.

Berean Standard Bible
how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God.

King James Bible
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

New King James Version
how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.

New American Standard Bible
how he confronted you on the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.

NASB 1995
how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.

NASB 1977
how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.

Legacy Standard Bible
how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear, but you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.

Amplified Bible
how he met you along the road and attacked all the stragglers at your rear when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.

Christian Standard Bible
They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.

American Standard Version
how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

Contemporary English Version
You were tired, and they followed along behind, attacking those who could not keep up with the others. This showed that the Amalekites have no respect for God.

English Revised Version
how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They attacked you when you were tired and exhausted and killed all those who were lagging behind. They weren't afraid of God.

Good News Translation
They had no fear of God, and so they attacked you from the rear when you were tired and exhausted, and killed all who were straggling behind.

International Standard Version
how when you were very tired and weary, they lay in wait for you on the road and eliminated everyone who was lagging behind. They had no fear of God.

Majority Standard Bible
how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God.

NET Bible
how they met you along the way and cut off all your stragglers in the rear of the march when you were exhausted and tired; they were unafraid of God.

New Heart English Bible
how he met you by the way, and struck the hindmost of you, all who lagged behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.

Webster's Bible Translation
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

World English Bible
how he met you by the way, and struck the rearmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn’t fear God.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
that he has met you in the way, and strikes among you all those feeble behind you (when you [were] weary and fatigued), and is not fearing God.

Young's Literal Translation
that he hath met thee in the way, and smiteth in all those feeble behind thee (and thou wearied and fatigued), and is not fearing God.

Smith's Literal Translation
That he met thee in the way, and he will smite the rear in thee all the enfeebled behind thee, and thou faint and weary: and he feared not God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
How he met thee: and slew the hindmost of the army, who sat down, being weary, when thou wast spent with hunger and labour, and he feared not God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
how he met you and cut down the stragglers of the troops, who were sitting down, exhausted, when you were consumed by hunger and hardship, and how he did not fear God.

New American Bible
how he surprised you along the way, weak and weary as you were, and struck down at the rear all those who lagged behind; he did not fear God.

New Revised Standard Version
how he attacked you on the way, when you were faint and weary, and struck down all who lagged behind you; he did not fear God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
How he met you with the sword, and smote all of those who were left behind you, when you were faint and weary, and he feared not the LORD your God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because he met you with a sword and he killed everyone among you who was lagging behind you, and you were shaken and exhausted and he was not afraid before LORD JEHOVAH your God.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
how he withstood thee in the way, and harassed thy rear, even those that were weary behind thee, and thou didst hunger and wast weary; and he did not fear God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Blot Out Amalek
17Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, 18how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God. 19When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!…

Cross References
Exodus 17:8-16
After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. / 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.” / 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. ...

1 Samuel 15:2-3
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt. / Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

Numbers 24:20
Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”

1 Samuel 30:1-2
On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down. / They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.

Judges 6:3-5
Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, / encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys. / For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it.

1 Chronicles 4:42-43
And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir / and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.

Psalm 83:4-8
saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.” / For with one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against You— / the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, ...

Genesis 36:12
Additionally, Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to Amalek. These are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.

2 Samuel 8:12
from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

Esther 3:1
After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.

Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. / After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. / The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ...

Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

Ephesians 6:11-13
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. / Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.


Treasury of Scripture

How he met you by the way, and smote the hindmost of you, even all that were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he feared not God.

feared

Nehemiah 5:9,15
Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? …

Psalm 36:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

Proverbs 16:6
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Jump to Previous
Attack Attacked Cut Cutting Enfeebled Hindmost Journey Meeting Met Ones Rear Smiteth Smote Strength Struck Tired Wast Way Wearied Weary
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Attack Attacked Cut Cutting Enfeebled Hindmost Journey Meeting Met Ones Rear Smiteth Smote Strength Struck Tired Wast Way Wearied Weary
Deuteronomy 25
1. Punishment must not exceed forty lashes
4. The ox is not to be muzzled
5. Of raising seed unto a brother
11. Of the immodest woman
13. Of unjust weights and measures
17. The memory of Amalek is to be blotted out














how they met you on the journey
This phrase refers to the Amalekites' encounter with the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. The Hebrew word for "met" (קָרָה, qarah) implies a chance encounter, yet it was a deliberate and hostile act. Historically, the Amalekites were a nomadic tribe known for their guerrilla tactics. This meeting was not a peaceful one but an ambush, highlighting the treachery and opportunism of the Amalekites. The journey of the Israelites symbolizes the Christian's spiritual journey, often met with unexpected challenges and adversaries.

when you were weary and worn out
The Hebrew words here, "יָגֵעַ" (yagea) for "weary" and "עָיֵף" (ayeph) for "worn out," paint a picture of physical exhaustion and vulnerability. The Israelites had been traveling through the desert, a harsh and unforgiving environment. This state of weariness is symbolic of times in a believer's life when they are spiritually or emotionally drained, reminding us of the importance of relying on God's strength in our weakness.

and they attacked all your stragglers
The Amalekites targeted the "stragglers" (נֶחָשֵׁל, nechashal), those who were lagging behind due to fatigue or weakness. This tactic reveals their cowardice and lack of honor, as they preyed on the defenseless. In a spiritual context, this can be seen as a warning to protect the vulnerable within the community of faith, emphasizing the need for vigilance and support for those who are struggling.

they had no fear of God
This phrase underscores the Amalekites' moral and spiritual depravity. The Hebrew word for "fear" (יִרְאָה, yirah) encompasses reverence and respect. Their lack of fear of God indicates a complete disregard for divine authority and moral law. For believers, this serves as a reminder of the importance of living in reverence to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and justice. It also foreshadows the eventual divine judgment that would befall the Amalekites, illustrating the biblical principle that God will ultimately vindicate His people and judge those who oppose Him.

Verse 18. - And smote the hindmost of thee; literally, and tailed thee; i.e. cut off thy tail, or rear. The verb (זִנֵּב) occurs only here and in Joshua 10:19. It is a denominative from זָנָב, a tail, and, like many denominatives, both in the Hebrew and in other languages, it has the sense of taking away or cutting off the thing expressed by the noun from which it is formed, like the English verb to skin, for example.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
how
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they met you
קָֽרְךָ֜ (qā·rə·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7136: To light upon, to bring about, to impose timbers

on your journey
בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ (bad·de·reḵ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

when you
וְאַתָּ֖ה (wə·’at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

were tired
וְיָגֵ֑עַ (wə·yā·ḡê·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3023: Weary, wearisome

and weary,
עָיֵ֣ף (‘ā·yêp̄)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5889: Faint, weary

and they attacked
וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב (way·zan·nêḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2179: To curtail, cut off the rear

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

your stragglers;
הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים (han·ne·ḥĕ·šā·lîm)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2826: To make, unsteady, weak

they had no
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

fear
יָרֵ֖א (yā·rê)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3373: Fearing, reverent

of God.
אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 25:18 How he met you by the way (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 25:17
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