Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/276

 thus in the southernmost parts of Palestine as well as in the territory extending to the south.

According to Numbers, 24: 20, Amalek is the first of the nations,—perhaps because they were the first with whom the Israelites came into conflict when migrating the Promised Land.

In Genesis, 36: 12, is stated that the concubine of Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. But Eliphaz was the son of Esau, and Esau the grandson of Abraham; nevertheless, even in the time of Abraham Amalek was living to the south of the Promised Land. From this it is clear that this passage in Genesis cannot indicate the true origin of the Amalekites; it shows, however, that in time they became related to the sons of Esau, in whose neighborhood they were therefore encamped and with whom they also contracted marriages.

The territory of Amalek to the south of Palestine marched on the east with the territory of the sons of Esau, so that conditions were favorable for establishing contact. Moreover, it was quite possible for Amalek to secure authority even over the sons of Esau for a period, as is stated in Genesis, 36: 16.

Numbers, 13: 29, mentions that the Amalekites dwelt in the southern part of Palestine in the time of Moses, also, and were a source of much trouble to the Israelites as long as they were encamped in the environs of Ḳadeš (Num., 14:43). According to Deuteronomy, 25: 17 ff., the Amalekites attacked the weakened Israelites on their march from Egypt and captured all their stragglers. Exodus, 17: 8, relates that the Amalekites marched against the Israelites at Refîdîm, where, according to Exodus, 17: 6 f., Moses obtained water from the rock by smiting it with his rod. Refîdîm, which for that reason was also called Massa (temptation) and Merîba (altercation), was situated (Num., 20: 1—13) near Ḳadeš.

We locate Ḳadeš and Merîba in the environs of Petra and thus in the closest proximity to the land of the Amalekites, who might easily attack the Israelites migrating from one camp to another and capture their stragglers. But the Amalekites also assisted other enemies of the Israelites.

In Judges, 3: 13, it stated that the Amalekites united with Eglon, the king of Moab, who took the City of Palms (i. e. Jericho) from the Israelites.—In order that the Amalekites should reach Jericho it was not necessary for them to cross over into Moab and from thence to go down to the Jordan, but they could easily pass along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea and thus unite with Eglon. Judges, 6: 33 ff., mentions the Amalekites as the allies of the Madianites and Bene Ḳedem, with whom they were encamped in the plain of Jezreel. They plundered the land of Israel as far as Gaza.—The Amalekites could join the Madianites and Bene Ḳedem either at the Jordan valley after passing by the Dead Sea or on the southern frontiers of Palestine, where the Madianites had plundered also the environs of Gaza. After Gideon’s victory in the plain of Jezreel the Madianites and the Bene Ḳedem fled to the east, but there is no mention of the Amalekites. They probably saved themselves by passing along the shore of the Dead Sea to their own country.

The Israelites were greatly harassed by the raids of the Amalekites, upon whom they therefore vowed vengeance. It was Saul, their first king, who marched against the Amalekites.