Josue did as Moses had spoken, and he fought against Amalec; but Moses, and Aaron, and Hur, went up upon the top of the hill.
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Moses, even though he was not physically present with the Israelites in battle, played an even more significant role in securing victory by lifting his hands to bolster his people and instill fear in their enemies. Just as the influence of love transcends physical distances, so too does the impact of prayer; while love brings together those who are apart, prayer can greatly aid those who are separated from each other.
In this account, Moses exemplified a transformative style of guidance, as Jesus, who succeeded Moses as the leader of the people, led the forces against the Amalekites. Meanwhile, Moses observed the conflict from a distant hill, raising his gaze toward the heavens, flanked by two individuals on either side of him.
Moses envisioned the image of the Holy Passion within himself, positioned in the sacred center. He imagined the cross and extended his arms in triumph, vanquishing the might of Amalek, the great destroyer. Thus, we sing praises to Christ our God, acknowledging His glory. This troparion was inspired by the book of Exodus, along with the previously mentioned ihrmos. Paul speaks of the Old Testament law as a shadow and a representation of the graces bestowed in the New Testament, declaring that it is “The shadow of the law of the blessings to come” (Hebrews 10:1). He presents the accounts of the Old Testament as allegorical illustrations pointing to the Gospel of the New Testament.
In doing so, he reveals how the prophet Moses symbolized the pure suffering of Jesus Christ long before His time. How is this connection made? Just as Moses stood among the holy figures of Aaron, his brother, and Opa*, so too did the Lord Christ endure His suffering on the cross between the two robbers.
In the book of Exodus, we learn that during battle, when Moses raised his hands high, the Israelites triumphed over the Amalekites. Conversely, when he lowered his hands, the Amalekites gained the upper hand. The Scriptures reveal that when Moses held his hands aloft, Israel was victorious, while his lowered hands led to Amalek's victory. The specific reasons for this remarkable occurrence remain undisclosed by the Holy Text.
Moses' uplifted hands symbolize Jesus Christ, who extended His arms on the Cross, sacrificing Himself for humanity. Hence, Moses serves as a foreshadowing of the profound truth being illustrated. Just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, caused Amalek's defeat by uplifting his hands, the Lord Himself, willingly ascending the Cross and stretching out His arms, vanquished the might of the devil, the adversary and destroyer of souls.
It is also significant to observe that Joshua, who achieved a notable victory over Amalek as a brave leader, shares the same name as our Savior. This shared name carries a deeper significance. The account of Joshua indicates that he selected capable and valiant warriors for his mission, much like Christ chose His holy and divinely inspired Apostles for the proclamation of His Gospel.
The elder Hur is acknowledged in Exodus 24:14, where he was appointed to support Aaron during Moses’ absence. His grandson Bezaleel served as the principal craftsman responsible for the construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 31). According to a tradition noted by Dom Calmet, following the account of Flavius Josephus, Hur was married to Miriam, Moses’ sister.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS