The Immortal Amalekites (Torah, Deuteronomy, exodus, doom, genesis)

[Francine]

The Amalekites were human cockroaches. They were like those inflatable punching clowns with heavy round bases that you could knock down seven times and they just came up eight times.

The first time they were completely wiped out was in Genesis 14:7 where it says, "And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar."

Poor Amalekites, doomed to experience genocide again and again forever, because "the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." (Exodus 17:16)

There were a number of skirmishes between the Israelites and the Amalekites all through the period of Joshua and the Judges, but finally a King ruled Israel, and God was tired of playing with his Amalekite food. He decided to make a final end to the Amalekites, so he commanded Saul thus (via Samuel): Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and @ss.

1 Samuel 15:7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

Saul killed everyone except Agag, the King. God was furious. He said, "it repenteth me that I have set Saul up to be king."Apparently God knew what he was talking about when he said to kill them all. Because a little while later, sure enough, those darn Amelekites were right back on their ancient lands again, and David had to go and stamp them out for sure this time:

1 Samuel 27:8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive...

But when we get to chapter 30, those blasted Amalekites are back! And the really remarkable thing about these folks with nine lives, after being completely wiped out time after time, and then rising again, they seemed to show far more mercy than either Saul or David:

1 Samuel 30:1-2 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

[doppelgänger]

They ARE tough. And prolific breeders as well, as they seem to have managed to completely repopulate their country several times within the lifetime of one Israelite king.

[Francine]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

They ARE tough. And prolific breeders as well, as they seem to have managed to completely repopulate their country several times within the lifetime of one Israelite king.

God told the Hebrews to even blot out any remembrance of the Amalekites. Yet every copy of the Torah carries the story.

Deuteronomy 25:19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.