Exodus 17:8 kjv

Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 nkjv

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 niv

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 esv

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 nlt

While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.

Exodus 17 verses

Exodus 17 8 Meaning

Exodus 17:8 succinctly introduces Israel's first significant military encounter after their deliverance from Egypt. It states that the Amalekites initiated an unprovoked attack against the Israelites in Rephidim, marking a critical transition from internal struggles and divine provision to external armed conflict for the newly liberated nation.

Exodus 17 8 Context

Exodus 17:8 immediately follows a period of significant Israelite unrest and divine intervention. Earlier in chapter 17 (verses 1-7), the Israelites, short on water at Rephidim, grumbled against Moses and even tested the Lord, asking, "Is the Lord among us or not?" In response, God commanded Moses to strike the rock at Horeb, from which water miraculously flowed, sustaining the people. This verse thus introduces a sudden, unprovoked external threat right after God's manifest provision and affirmation of His presence, transitioning the narrative from internal struggle and divine sustenance to outright military conflict. The setting, Rephidim, remains a significant location where both profound need was met and fierce battle ensued.

Exodus 17 8 Word analysis

• Then (וַיָּבֹא - vayavo): This conjunction signifies a direct, immediate sequence of events. It connects the unprovoked attack by Amalek with the preceding episode of God's miraculous provision of water at Rephidim. It highlights that an external threat emerged precisely after the resolution of internal grumbling and a display of divine care.
• came Amalek (עֲמָלֵק - Amaleq): The Amalekites were a nomadic, predatory tribe descended from Esau through Eliphaz and his concubine Timna (Gen 36:12). Their arrival was uninvited and hostile. They were known for ambushing the weak and stragglers (Deut 25:17-18). This act was not merely tribal expansion but an aggressive, opportunistic move against a vulnerable, recently freed, and poorly equipped nation. They represent a significant, ancient antagonist.
• and fought (וַיִּלָּחֶם - wayyil·lā·ḥem): This verb implies an act of war, a sustained engagement, not just a skirmish. It denotes a deliberate military action. This marks the first open, full-scale warfare for the Israelite nation since leaving Egypt, demanding an organized response rather than simply a miraculous rescue.
• with Israel: Refers to the entire collective of the newly formed Israelite nation, including men, women, children, and livestock. Their identity as "Israel" emphasizes their status as God's chosen people, making the attack on them an affront to God's covenant purposes.
• in Rephidim: A specific geographical location in the wilderness journey, pivotal for multiple events. It was where the people recently tested God over water (Massah and Meribah) and where God demonstrated His provision by giving water from the rock (Ex 17:1-7). The battle taking place immediately after this divine act underscores the reality that divine care does not exempt believers from encountering adversaries.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Then came Amalek and fought": This phrase underlines the aggressive initiative of Amalek. The attack was unprovoked and opportunistic, highlighting their malevolent character and predatory nature. It signifies a transition in Israel's challenges from internal disunity to external, mortal combat, demanding faith in God for military success.
• "with Israel in Rephidim": This defines the target and location. The Israelites were still largely untrained and vulnerable, yet they were God's covenant people. Fighting "in Rephidim" is significant as it had just been a site of miraculous divine provision, underscoring that even immediately after receiving grace, spiritual and physical battles must be waged against determined enemies.

Exodus 17 8 Bonus section

• The timing of Amalek's attack right after the miraculous provision of water in Rephidim highlights a common biblical pattern: divine blessing or revelation often precedes a significant trial or attack.
• Amalek’s ambush of the weary and stragglers (Deut 25:17-18) was particularly depraved in the ancient Near East, violating unspoken rules of combat and earning them a unique and enduring divine curse (Ex 17:14, 16).
• This battle initiates a long-standing conflict, signifying that not all battles against God's people are quick skirmishes but sometimes require generations of persistent spiritual vigilance and engagement.
• Rephidim transitions from a place of grumbling and divine provision (Ex 17:1-7) to a proving ground where Israel learns about war, reliance on God for victory, and the emergence of military leaders like Joshua.

Exodus 17 8 Commentary

Exodus 17:8 is a terse but profoundly significant verse that shifts the Israelites' post-Exodus experience into a new dimension: open warfare. The Amalekites' unprovoked attack in Rephidim, coming immediately after God's miraculous provision of water, highlights a stark contrast between divine faithfulness and human (or rather, spiritual) hostility. Amalek is portrayed not merely as a hostile tribe but as a perpetual spiritual adversary, demonstrating a deep-seated antagonism against God's chosen people, evidenced by their targeting of the weakest and most vulnerable in the rear. This encounter reveals that even after significant divine demonstrations of care, the journey of faith involves confronting powerful external opposition. The battle at Rephidim, though introduced simply here, became a foundational lesson for Israel on the necessity of active faith, leadership, and divine assistance in overcoming those forces that oppose God's people and His purposes. This moment serves as a foreshadowing of persistent spiritual warfare that believers encounter throughout history.