Exodus 17:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord's hand rests upon the judgment seat, a throne established by God for Moses. The Lord has ongoing conflict with Amalek, continuing from one generation to the next, as long as Amalek remains in defiance of God.

Through the strength of the sacred cross and the power of prayer, particularly through the act of laying on hands, you, dear brother, can prevail over the spiritual Amalek—the adversary, of whom it is said: the beginning of the tongues of Amalek and their progeny shall vanish (Numbers 24:20). What nations are referred to, whose origin is the adversary? They represent a legion of demons that are under the authority of the devil. And what does this lineage of Amalek and these demons signify? It encompasses sin and all the vices that give rise to the devil and his lesser spirits, including self-absorption, pride, haughtiness, gluttony, and so forth.

Moses declared that the Lord's hand is raised over His throne, waging war against Amalek through all generations. This verse can be understood in two significant ways. The phrase referring to the hand over the throne of the Lord could either signify (1) an oath or (2) a declaration of ongoing conflict against Amalek. In the first interpretation, the hand is perceived as lifted and extended, which is customary in making oaths, reflecting the divine nature attributed to God as seen in Psalms 105:26, Ezekiel 20:3, and the Epistle to the Hebrews. In the alternative interpretation, it suggests a threatening hand, symbolizing the Lord asserting authority over His throne as He announces war against Amalek. This impending threat is distinctly noted in verse 14. To this, Moses, with his gaze fixed in faith, also dedicated his altar by stating: the Lord is my refuge as recorded in verse 15.

‘The hand upon the throne of the Lord.’ This profoundly significant passage has been understood in this manner: ‘Amalek dared to raise his hand against the Lord, and thus the Lord's conflict with Amalek, and so forth.’ This interpretation finds consensus among all scholars, with the exception of those who substitute Kez - throne, with Nez - banner, linking this verse to the previous one. However, Cook points out that all available manuscripts, whether in Syriac, Samaritan, Arabic, or Targum, consistently use the term throne. The translation in the English Bible states, ‘the Lord swore a battle against Amalek,’ which Cook views as erroneous; he supports the interpretation of our text. Interestingly, the Septuagint interpreters have rendered this phrase as, ‘As by a secret hand the Lord fights against Amalek from generation to generation.’