Aaron and Hur Hold Up Moses' Arms in BattleBible World
17:13Exodus 17:13
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Joshua's men routed Amalek's unprovoked assault on Israel's weak and weary with the sword by sunset, while Moses interceded on the hill with hands and rod lifted toward heaven and Aaron and Hur held up his weary hands. The triumph came not by human power alone but because Israel looked to God as its might and acknowledged leader, prevailing with strength while the hands were raised and losing ground when they fell. God fought for His people by His angels as they joined dependence on Him in prayer with active exertion of every force available to them. The defeat sealed Amalek's doom for defying God, mocking His deliverance, and attacking the defenseless, with God declaring continuing war against them and commanding the victory to be recorded and remembered. The same pattern teaches that God's people today prevail by continual faith and by intercessory prayer that holds up the hands of His workers.
Setting and Course of Battle
This was Amalek's first attack on Israel in the wilderness, coming after Israel's murmuring against God in unbelief, which led Him to allow their enemies to attack them. The defeat of Amalek belonged to the consequence of that unbelief, and the battle began a history of hostility that would shape Israel's future.
Amalek attacked without provocation, falling upon weary and defenseless Israelites and deliberately targeting the weakest among them. That cruelty was defiance of God Himself, and He watches over even His weakest children so that cruelty against them brings His judgment.
Below in the valley Joshua led Israel's soldiers fighting with the edge of the sword, while on the hill Moses prayed with his hands and the rod of God raised toward heaven. With hands stretched toward heaven he openly declared even to the surrounding enemies that Israel's help was in God. Israel used the forces and preparation available to them and exerted themselves to repel the enemy, while still depending on God in prayer.
As Moses grew weary, Aaron and Hur held up his hands and sustained him until sunset. In doing so they supported him as he received God's word and upheld the leader whose uplifted hands accompanied Israel's victory.
While his hands were lifted Israel drove the enemy with vitality and strength of power, but when they were lowered the enemy prevailed. By sunset Joshua had discomfited Amalek and his people and put them to flight. That victory was given by the angels of God, principalities and powers.
Victory Through Trust in God
Israel's strength and victory in discomfiting Amalek depended on trusting the living God, looking to Him for help and following His directions, not on human power alone. God fought for Israel and subdued their enemies when they trusted His power, but when they relied on their own strength they became weaker than their enemies and their foes prevailed. That need for trust followed Israel's murmuring against God, which had led Him to allow their enemies to attack them, so that the defeat of Amalek stood amid the consequences of that unbelief.
Moses' uplifted hands toward God were the sign that God was Israel's might and source of strength, that Israel's destiny rested in God's hands, and that God was its acknowledged leader. While those hands remained raised Israel prevailed, for when the people trusted Him He fought for them and subdued their enemies, but when they relied on their own power they became weaker even than those without knowledge of God and their foes prevailed.
The victory joined dependence on God's strength in prayer with active human effort, for Israel fought below while Moses prayed on the hill and God gave His people strength and victory as they prayed and did their part. Joshua and his men exerted themselves to repel the enemy, with Joshua leading Israel's soldiers against the Amalekites while Moses prayed with the rod of God raised, supported by Aaron and Hur holding up his weary hands. Israel thus used the forces and preparation available to them while depending on God in prayer, driving the enemy with vitality and strength of power as long as Moses' hands were lifted toward heaven, openly declaring even to the enemies around that their help was in God, and still pressing the battle to the gate as though having something to do.
In this, God's people prevail by faith as they take hold of their mighty Helper, taking no glory to self but looking to God and trusting Him continually. The triumph was given by the angels of God, principalities and powers, showing that under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel power is granted to overcome by becoming partakers of the divine nature.
Judgment on Amalek Today
The discomfiting of Amalek and his people was part of God's judgment for boasting against God, mocking His deliverance of Israel, and vowing to destroy His people. That judgment fell because Amalek attacked the weak and weary, striking without provocation at the defenseless and weakest among Israel in defiance of God. That attack sealed its doom and marked the end of God's call to that nation to repent, and God appointed its destruction by the very people it had despised.
God declared continuing war against Amalek and commanded that the victory be recorded and remembered. Thereby He showed that He watches over even His weakest children and that cruelty against them brings His judgment. The battle began a history of hostility for which God pronounced judgment that was delayed for four hundred years before Saul was commanded to carry it out.
The verse means that success depends on intercessory prayer, as Israel defeated Amalek because Moses prayed for success with his hands held toward heaven, Israel prevailing while his hands were lifted and the enemy prevailing when they were lowered, until Aaron and Hur held up his weary hands till the enemy fled. It requires those who remain at home today to hold up the hands of God's workers who go into the harvest field by praying for them without neglect. Under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, power is granted to overcome all the corruptions in the world through lust by becoming partakers of the divine nature.
Joshua's men routed Amalek's unprovoked assault on Israel's weak and weary with the sword by sunset, while Moses interceded on the hill with hands and rod lifted toward heaven and Aaron and Hur held up his weary hands. The triumph came not by human power alone but because Israel looked to God as its might and acknowledged leader, prevailing with strength while the hands were raised and losing ground when they fell. God fought for His people by His angels as they joined dependence on Him in prayer with active exertion of every force available to them. The defeat sealed Amalek's doom for defying God, mocking His deliverance, and attacking the defenseless, with God declaring continuing war against them and commanding the victory to be recorded and remembered. The same pattern teaches that God's people today prevail by continual faith and by intercessory prayer that holds up the hands of His workers.
Setting and Course of Battle
This was Amalek's first attack on Israel in the wilderness, coming after Israel's murmuring against God in unbelief, which led Him to allow their enemies to attack them. The defeat of Amalek belonged to the consequence of that unbelief, and the battle began a history of hostility that would shape Israel's future.
Amalek attacked without provocation, falling upon weary and defenseless Israelites and deliberately targeting the weakest among them. That cruelty was defiance of God Himself, and He watches over even His weakest children so that cruelty against them brings His judgment.
Below in the valley Joshua led Israel's soldiers fighting with the edge of the sword, while on the hill Moses prayed with his hands and the rod of God raised toward heaven. With hands stretched toward heaven he openly declared even to the surrounding enemies that Israel's help was in God. Israel used the forces and preparation available to them and exerted themselves to repel the enemy, while still depending on God in prayer.
As Moses grew weary, Aaron and Hur held up his hands and sustained him until sunset. In doing so they supported him as he received God's word and upheld the leader whose uplifted hands accompanied Israel's victory.
While his hands were lifted Israel drove the enemy with vitality and strength of power, but when they were lowered the enemy prevailed. By sunset Joshua had discomfited Amalek and his people and put them to flight. That victory was given by the angels of God, principalities and powers.
Victory Through Trust in God
Israel's strength and victory in discomfiting Amalek depended on trusting the living God, looking to Him for help and following His directions, not on human power alone. God fought for Israel and subdued their enemies when they trusted His power, but when they relied on their own strength they became weaker than their enemies and their foes prevailed. That need for trust followed Israel's murmuring against God, which had led Him to allow their enemies to attack them, so that the defeat of Amalek stood amid the consequences of that unbelief.
Moses' uplifted hands toward God were the sign that God was Israel's might and source of strength, that Israel's destiny rested in God's hands, and that God was its acknowledged leader. While those hands remained raised Israel prevailed, for when the people trusted Him He fought for them and subdued their enemies, but when they relied on their own power they became weaker even than those without knowledge of God and their foes prevailed.
The victory joined dependence on God's strength in prayer with active human effort, for Israel fought below while Moses prayed on the hill and God gave His people strength and victory as they prayed and did their part. Joshua and his men exerted themselves to repel the enemy, with Joshua leading Israel's soldiers against the Amalekites while Moses prayed with the rod of God raised, supported by Aaron and Hur holding up his weary hands. Israel thus used the forces and preparation available to them while depending on God in prayer, driving the enemy with vitality and strength of power as long as Moses' hands were lifted toward heaven, openly declaring even to the enemies around that their help was in God, and still pressing the battle to the gate as though having something to do.
In this, God's people prevail by faith as they take hold of their mighty Helper, taking no glory to self but looking to God and trusting Him continually. The triumph was given by the angels of God, principalities and powers, showing that under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel power is granted to overcome by becoming partakers of the divine nature.
Judgment on Amalek Today
The discomfiting of Amalek and his people was part of God's judgment for boasting against God, mocking His deliverance of Israel, and vowing to destroy His people. That judgment fell because Amalek attacked the weak and weary, striking without provocation at the defenseless and weakest among Israel in defiance of God. That attack sealed its doom and marked the end of God's call to that nation to repent, and God appointed its destruction by the very people it had despised.
God declared continuing war against Amalek and commanded that the victory be recorded and remembered. Thereby He showed that He watches over even His weakest children and that cruelty against them brings His judgment. The battle began a history of hostility for which God pronounced judgment that was delayed for four hundred years before Saul was commanded to carry it out.
The verse means that success depends on intercessory prayer, as Israel defeated Amalek because Moses prayed for success with his hands held toward heaven, Israel prevailing while his hands were lifted and the enemy prevailing when they were lowered, until Aaron and Hur held up his weary hands till the enemy fled. It requires those who remain at home today to hold up the hands of God's workers who go into the harvest field by praying for them without neglect. Under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, power is granted to overcome all the corruptions in the world through lust by becoming partakers of the divine nature.