Exodus 17:14
in Exodus 17Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua, because I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and Jehovah said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
KJV
And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
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This verse in Exodus 17
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWrite this for a memorial in a book - This is the first mention of writing on record: what it signified, or how it was done, we cannot tell. But it is evident that either this passage is introduced here instead of Deu 25:17, by way of anticipation, or that by the words כתב שפר kethob and sepher was intended only a monumental declaration of the defeat of Amalek by Joshua, by some action or symbolical representation; for it is immediately subjoined, “And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.” See Dr. A.
This site's exposition
Write this for a memorial in a book
This is the first command in Scripture to write anything, and the subject of it is the blotting out of Amalek. The word memorial was used at 3:15 of the name of God, and here it is attached to a written record meant to outlast the men who fought. Moses is told to rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, which puts it in front of the man who will still be leading forty years later. Deuteronomy 25:17 to 25:19 repeats the charge, 1 Samuel 15 is where Saul is sent to carry it out, and Haman is still called the Agagite at Esther 3:1.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
4, 7 ); and therefore God not only disappoints him in this, but cuts off his name. "Write it for the encouragement of Israel, whenever the Amalekites are an annoyance to them, that Israel will at last undoubtedly triumph in the fall of Amalek." This sentence was executed in part by Saul ( 1 Sam. xv ), and completely by David ( ch. xxx.;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number
And the Lord said unto Moses,....
And these things which happened to them are written for our instruction in our spiritual journey and warfare. The Israelites Murmur for Water. 1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the L ORD , and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Write this for a memorial--If the bloody character of this statute seems to be at variance with the mild and merciful character of God, the reasons are to be sought in the deep and implacable vengeance they meditated against Israel (Ps 83:4).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In a book - in the book, i. e. the book which contained the history of God’s dealings with His people. Moses was further instructed to impress the command especially on the mind of Joshua, as the leader to whom the first step toward its accomplishment would be entrusted on the conquest of Canaan. The work was not actually completed until the reign of Hezekiah, 1Ch 4:43.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented. This quote from Ibn Ezra is found in his commentary to Numbers:14. Part of it is also found here. that “this was a known book, namely, the book of the wars of the Eternal, 472 Numbers:14.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
There is no difference between va-yachalosh. Which is an efol. (discomfited or weakened) and va-yechelash. Which is an efal.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| כְּתֹ֨ב | keto | write | H3789 → | 224 times |
| זֹ֤את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| זִכָּרוֹן֙ | zikaron | reminder | H2146 → | 24 times |
| בַּסֵּ֔פֶר | basefer | in the book | H5612 → | 186 times |
| וְשִׂ֖ים | vesim | and put [it] | H7760 → | 584 times |
| בְּאָזְנֵ֣י | beazenei | in [the] ears of | H241 → | 187 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מָחֹ֤ה | machoh | certainly <to wipe out> | H4229 → | 36 times |
| אֶמְחֶה֙ | ʾemcheh | I will wipe out | H4229 → | 36 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| זֵ֣כֶר | zekher | [the] remembrance of | H2143 → | |
| עֲמָלֵ֔ק | ʾamalek | Amalek | H6002 → | 39 times |
| מִתַּ֖חַת | mitachat | from under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
כְּתֹ֨בwrite
ketoH3789 →224 times
זֹ֤אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
זִכָּרוֹן֙reminder
zikaronH2146 →24 times
בַּסֵּ֔פֶרin the book
baseferH5612 →186 times
וְשִׂ֖יםand put [it]
vesimH7760 →584 times
בְּאָזְנֵ֣יin [the] ears of
beazeneiH241 →187 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מָחֹ֤הcertainly <to wipe out>
machohH4229 →36 times
אֶמְחֶה֙I will wipe out
ʾemchehH4229 →36 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
זֵ֣כֶר[the] remembrance of
zekherH2143 →
עֲמָלֵ֔קAmalek
ʾamalekH6002 →39 times
מִתַּ֖חַתfrom under
mitachatH8478 →505 times
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃the heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 34:27The LORD also said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
it leads to
- Exodus 24:4
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve…
- Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- Exodus 24:4
Through
1 Samuel 30:1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 29:11
So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
- 1 Samuel 15:7
Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
- Joshua 11:6
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn…
- 1 Samuel 29:4
But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us…
- 1 Samuel 29:11
Through
1 Samuel 30:17And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped, except four hundred young men who fled, riding off on camels.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 11:11
The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them, until the hottest part of the day. And the…
- 1 Samuel 11:11
Through
Numbers 33:2At the LORD’s command, Moses recorded the stages of their journey. These are the stages listed by their starting points:
it leads to
- Numbers 9:17–23
Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp.
- Numbers 9:17–23
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.