Amalek
In Genesis (Gen. 36:12) and the first book of Chronicles ( 1 Chronicles 1:36 ), Amalek () is presented as the son of Eliphaz son and grandson of Esau. As such, he was chief of a tribe Edomite (Genesis 36:16), the Amalekites.
His mother, Timna , the sister of Lotan was from the tribe Horrites , whose territory had been annexed to Edom. In Exodus 17, 8-16, Amalek attacked without reason the Children of Israel, barely out of Egypt. Amalek has the upper hand when Moses down arms, but was defeated by Joshua when Aaron and Hur are the arms of Moses.
Origin of Amalek
The approach "maximalist" view of the Bible this genealogy as literal, while most critics consider it rather an ethnological tradition. In this context, the Amalekites are related to the Edomites , therefore to the Hebrews, and Horites.
The reason he is the namesake of this tribe is unknown. Conversely, it could have been called Amalek by reference to the tribe he led.
Extra-Biblical tradition recorded by Nahmanides reports that Amalek Amalek descended from a post which the grand-son of Esau was appointed. The eponymous ancestor of the Amalekites is also mentioned in Arab traditions.
On the etymological point of view, some interpret this name as "wandering in the valleys" sacred-texts.com bju.edu , but most experts believe that the origin of the name is unknown (M. Weippert, Semitische Nomaden of zweiten Jahrtausends. Biblica Vol. 55, 1974, 265-280, 427-433).
Descendants of Amalek
He is the head of the Amalekites , a tribe of nomads who attacked the Hebrews in the desert of Sinai immediately after the Exodus from Egypt.
According to the Bible , having destroyed all the Amalekites, King Saul spared Agag. This act was contrary to the divine order passed by the prophet Samuel. This error Saul earned his throne. Subsequently, and tells the story of Esther , the exiles of the First Temple have to suffer the genocidal intentions of Haman , son of Hamedata, descendant of Agag , king of the Amalekites.
In Judaism , the Amalekites represent the archetypal enemy of the Jews.
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