Exodus 17:11

Whenever Moses would raise his hands, ¹  then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest ²  his hands, then Amalek prevailed.

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.

So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.

As long as Moses held up the staff with his hands, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites gained the upper hand.

It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning.

Now while Moses’ hand was lifted up, Israel was the stronger: but when he let his hand go down, Amalek became the stronger.

Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

Whenever Moses would raise his hands, ¹  then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest ²  his hands, then Amalek prevailed.

¹ tn The two verbs in the temporal clauses are by וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר (vÿhaya ka’asher, “as long as” or, “and it was that whenever”). This indicates that the two imperfect tenses should be given a frequentative translation, probably a customary imperfect.

² tn Or “lower.”