Exodus 17:13
New International Version
So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

New Living Translation
As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

English Standard Version
And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Berean Standard Bible
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.

King James Bible
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

New King James Version
So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

New American Standard Bible
And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

NASB 1995
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

NASB 1977
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Amplified Bible
So Joshua overwhelmed and defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Christian Standard Bible
So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.

American Standard Version
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Contemporary English Version
That's how Joshua defeated the Amalekites.

English Revised Version
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So Joshua defeated the Amalekite army in battle.

Good News Translation
In this way Joshua totally defeated the Amalekites.

International Standard Version
Joshua defeated Amalek and his army using swords.

Majority Standard Bible
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.

NET Bible
So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.

New Heart English Bible
Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

World English Bible
Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Joshua weakens Amalek and his people by the mouth of the sword.

Young's Literal Translation
and Joshua weakeneth Amalek and his people by the mouth of the sword.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joshua will overthrow Amalek and his people with the mouth of the sword.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Josue put Amalec and his people to flight, by the edge of the sword.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Joshua put to flight Amalek and his people by the edge of the sword.

New American Bible
And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.

New Revised Standard Version
And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Joshua defeated Amalek with the edge of the sword.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yeshua shattered Amaleq and his people by the mouth of the sword.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua routed Amalec and all his people with the slaughter of the sword.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Defeat of the Amalekites
12When 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. 13So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword. 14Then 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.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, / 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. / When 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!

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.’”

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 6:33-35
Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. / So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him. / Calling them to arms, Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh, as well as Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they came up to meet him.

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

Deuteronomy 20:1-4
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. / When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army, / saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them. ...

Joshua 10:12-14
On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” / So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? “So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” / There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD fought for Israel.

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, ...

Isaiah 63:1-6
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. ...

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. / 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. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Joshua 10:28,32,37,42
And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho…

Joshua 11:12
And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.

Jump to Previous
Amalek Am'alek Amalekite Army Broke Defeated Discomfited Edge Joshua Mouth Mowed Overcame Overwhelmed Power Sword Weakeneth
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Exodus 17
1. The people murmur for water to Rephidim
6. God send them for water to the rock in Horeb
7. The place is called Massah and Meribah
8. Amalek is overcome by Joshua, while Moses holds up his hand
14. Amalek is doomed to destruction; and Moses builds the altar Jehovah-nissi














So Joshua
Joshua, whose name means "The LORD is salvation," is introduced here as a military leader. He is a type of Christ, prefiguring Jesus as the one who leads God's people to victory. Joshua's role in this battle sets the stage for his future leadership in conquering the Promised Land.

overwhelmed Amalek
The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe descended from Esau, representing opposition to God's people. This battle is the first recorded conflict between Israel and Amalek, symbolizing the ongoing spiritual warfare between God's people and their enemies. The term "overwhelmed" indicates a decisive victory, emphasizing God's power working through Joshua.

and his army
The Amalekite army was known for its guerrilla tactics and surprise attacks. This phrase highlights the organized resistance against Israel, underscoring the significance of Israel's victory. It also reflects the broader theme of God delivering His people from formidable foes.

with the sword
The sword symbolizes both physical and spiritual warfare. In the context of this battle, it represents the means by which God grants victory to His people. The use of the sword also foreshadows the spiritual battles Christians face, where the "sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17) is the Word of God, used to overcome spiritual adversaries.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Joshua
A key figure in this passage, Joshua is the military leader of the Israelites. He is chosen by Moses to lead the battle against the Amalekites. His name in Hebrew, "Yehoshua," means "The LORD is salvation," which foreshadows his role in leading Israel into the Promised Land.

2. Amalek
The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe and longstanding enemies of Israel. They attacked the Israelites at Rephidim, which led to this battle. The Amalekites are often seen as representing opposition to God's people.

3. Moses
Although not mentioned directly in this verse, Moses plays a crucial role in the battle by holding up his hands, which symbolizes intercession and reliance on God. His actions are pivotal to the Israelites' victory.

4. Rephidim
The location where the battle takes place. It is significant as a place of testing and provision, where God provided water from the rock before the battle.

5. The Edge of the Sword
This phrase indicates the means by which Joshua and the Israelites achieved victory. It emphasizes the physical aspect of the battle, yet it is underpinned by spiritual reliance on God.
Teaching Points
Reliance on God in Battle
Just as Joshua relied on God's power for victory, believers must rely on God in spiritual battles. Our strength comes from Him, not our own abilities.

The Role of Leadership and Intercession
Moses' role in the battle highlights the importance of spiritual leadership and intercession. Leaders must support their people through prayer and guidance.

Remembering Past Victories
The victory over Amalek serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness. Believers should remember and recount God's past deliverances to strengthen their faith.

Obedience and Faithfulness
Joshua's obedience to Moses' command and God's direction is crucial. Believers are called to be obedient and faithful in their walk with God.

Spiritual Warfare
The physical battle against Amalek is a type of the spiritual warfare believers face. We must be equipped with the armor of God and stand firm in faith.Verse 13. - Amalek and his people - i.e. "the Amalekites proper, and the tribes subject to them, who fought on their side."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

overwhelmed
וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ (way·ya·ḥă·lōš)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2522: To prostrate, to overthrow, decay

Amalek
עֲמָלֵ֥ק (‘ă·mā·lêq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6002: Amalek -- a descendant of Esau, also his posterity

and his army
עַמּ֖וֹ (‘am·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

with the sword.
חָֽרֶב׃ (ḥā·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword


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OT Law: Exodus 17:13 Joshua defeated Amalek and his people (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 17:12
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