Hebrew Word Study – Licking Blood – Amalek   עֲמָלֵ֑ק  – Ayin Mem Lamed Qop

Deuteronomy 25:17: “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as you came forth out of Egypt.”

We are all aware of the war in Israel against Hamas.  We read of the atrocities committed in the murder of innocent civilians, the elderly, children and other defenseless people. Yet, this is not the first time the Jews experience attempts of genocide.  They have a history of nations seeking to wipe the Jews from the face of the earth, beginning with a group of people called the Amalekites. 

The Amalekites were the arch enemy of Israel. The Hebrew children had no sooner crossed the Red Sea and escaped from the Egyptians when they were attacked by the Amalekites.  The Amalekites were ruthless, some would suggest satanically motivated.  Like Hamas, when they attacked they did the most cowardly thing, they killed the weakest and the feeble, the one who were lagging behind (Deuteronomy 25:18). 

It is my opinion that the same demons motivating the Amalekites are the same ones motivating Hamas today. The word Amalekite means people who lick blood. They really are not much different today than the Amalekites were 3,500 years ago. Because the struck the elderly, the children and others who were defenseless, God commanded Moses to instruct Joshua to form an army to fight against the Amalekites at Rephidim.  Moses stood on a hill with his arms raised to God holding his staff. When he tired his assistants held up his arms.  This was God’s war against the enemy that sought to exterminate the Hebrew people.   

Archeologists back in the late nineteenth century uncovered what is known as the Amarna letters.  These are clay tablets consisting of diplomatic correspondence  between Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru and other neighboring kingdom leaders around 1300 BC which is about the time of the Exodus. Over 58 of these letters in the Akkadian cuneiform were pleading with the Egyptians for military help to fight against invaders they called Habiru. Many linguists suggest that this could be a reference to the Hebrews. The letters told of Habiru invaders who were very powerful and wreaking havoc against the Canaanites. Apparently, like today Israel was finding few allies other than the Hittites to plead their case and give them military support. Yes, the world hated Israel just as much 3,500 years ago as they do today.  Poor Israel, all they have is God to depend upon.    

God instructed King Saul to charam the Amalekites, utterly and completely  destroy them, the women, children, and all their animals and possessions. This was unheard of on that day.  I mean exterminating the people was one thing, but why kill off perfectly good livestock and possessions?  To the victor belongs the spoils.  But remember these were a people devoted to the enemy himself who had one purpose, to destroy the blood line that would lead to the Messiah.  To even bring one innocent donkey that was used to carry out Satan’s plan into the Hebrew camp would invite a foothold of Satan into the nation to corrupt and pollute that nation such that it would corrupt the blood line to the Messiah.

The Amalakites allied with the Midianites who were then destroyed by Gideon,  Samson fought against the Philistines who also formed an alliance with the Amalakites. We all know what happened to the Philistines.  King Saul lost his kingdom for failure to exterminate the livestock (II Samuel 15:2-3).  David carried on a sacred war to exterminate the Amalekites.  Hezekiah final finished off the last of them in I Chronicles 4:42-43. To this day three of the 613 commandments refer to the Amalakites.  1. Remember what the Amalakites did to Israel. 2. Do not forget what they did and 3. Charam – exterminate them.  The world is demanding a cease fire in Israel but I suspect God is saying something else.

Why was God so ruthless against the Amalekites?  Christians cite the reason above, this was a nation that was ruled by Satan who wanted to abolish the blood line leading to the birth of Jesus and our redemption.   The esoteric Jews, however,  see another reason.   The word Amalek is spelled “ayin = 70, mem = 40, lamed = 30, kap = 100. This totals 240.  There is a word in Hebrew which also totals 240, safek   samek = 60, pe = 80, Kap = 100 for a total of 240.  This word means doubt.  

Just as the Hebrew Children experienced a great victory over the Egyptians at the Red Sea, they no sooner turned around when they were attacked by the Amalakites.  The Amalakites were always there to cast doubt on the Jew’s total trust in God.  The crime for which the Amalekites must be remembered is the crime of casting doubt on the total trust in God. Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah will not come until this sin of doubt is totally eradicated.

Even today our modern Amalekites, Hamas, are being used by the enemy to cast doubt. Doubt over the right of Israel to defend itself, doubt over Israel’s desire for peace, doubt of the sincerity of Israel to create a Palestinian nation. 

Oh, by the way, what tool did the enemy use to make the Amalekites so bent on exterminating the Hebrew people?  The Amalakites were descended from Esau. This was Jacob’s brother who was jealous that Jacob stole his inheritance.  From that time forward his descendants were dead set on exterminating the descendants of Jacob so they could claim the inheritance for themselves.  One little sin brought the charam total utter destruction of an entire nation.  Had they forgiven their brothers and allowed God’s perfect will, Hamas terrorists would not be lobbing missiles at Israel today. 

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