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Amalek (Hebrew for dweller in a valley) was the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of Esau (Gen. 36:12; 1 Chr. 1:36); the chief of an Idumean tribe (Gen. 36:16). His mother was a Horite, a tribe whose territory the descendants of Esau had seized.
Amalekites were a tribe, predating Amalek the son of Eliphaz, who existed in the Roman province Arabia Petraea as early as the time of Abraham (Gen. 14:7). In Babylonian inscriptions they are called Sute, in Egyptian Sittiu, and the Amarna tablets refer to them as Khabbati, or "plunderers." They are best known for attacking the Israelites shortly after the well-known events of the Exodus. This occurred at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-13; comp. Deut. 25:17; 1 Sam. 15:2). "They dwelt in the land of the south...from Havilah until thou comest to Shur" (Num. 13:29; 1 Sam. 15:7). At times said to be allied with the Moabites (Judg. 3:13) and the Midianites (Judg. 6:3). Each of their kings bore the hereditary name of Agag (Num. 24:7; 1 Sam. 15:8). They also attacked the Israelites at Hormah (Num. 14:45). Saul defeated them utterly, but earned the wrath of God by sparing some for use as slaves, and failing to burn their treasures (1 Sam.).
In Jewish tradition, the Amalekites represent the enemy of the Jews. The term has been used to refer to enemies of Judaism throughout history, including the Romans, Nazis, and controversially, the Arabs. This last is particularly popular within modern right-wing Zionist groups. The concept has long been used by Rabbi's to represent the rejection of God, or Atheism. Of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) followed by Orthodox Jews, Three refer to the Amalekites: to remember what the Amalekites did to the Jews, to not forget what the Amalekites did to the Jews, and to destroy the Amalekites utterly. "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 ass" (1 Sam. 15:3). The Jews manner of dealing with them was extreme, as they could be shown no mercy. Women and children were slain, and no slaves or gold could be taken from them. Rather all were killed, and their valuables were burned. "he betook himself to slay the women and the children, and thought he did not act therein either barbarously or inhumanly; first, because they were enemies whom he thus treated, and, in the next place, because it was done by the command of God, whom it was dangerous not to obey." (from Flavius Josephus Antiquities of the Jews Book VI, Chapter 7)
"Remember what Amalek did to you as you were leaving Egypt. He happened upon you, and struck the weakest people trailing behind, when you were exhausted. And he did not fear God. (Deut. 25:17-18)
God said to Moses: Write this remembrance in the book... that I will surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. (Exodus 17:14)"