Exodus 17:8

¹ Amalek came ²  and attacked ³  Israel in Rephidim.

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.

While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek came to fight against them.

Amalek came and fought Israel at Rephidim.

Then Amalek came and made war on Israel in Rephidim.

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

¹ Amalek came ²  and attacked ³  Israel in Rephidim.

¹ sn This short passage gives the first account of Israel’s holy wars. The war effort and Moses’ holding up his hands go side by side until the victory is won and commemorated. Many have used this as an example of intercessory prayer – but the passage makes no such mention. In Exodus so far the staff of God is the token of the power of God; when Moses used it, God demonstrated his power. To use the staff of God was to say that God did it; to fight without the staff was to face defeat. Using the staff of God was a way of submitting to and depending on the power of God in all areas of life. The first part of the story reports the attack and the preparation for the battle (8,9). The second part describes the battle and its outcome (10-13). The final section is the preservation of this event in the memory of Israel (14-16).

² tn Heb “and Amalek came”; NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV “the Amalekites.”

³ tn Or “fought with.”