And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
- KJV And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
- BSB As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.
- NASB So it came about, when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed; but when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.
- NLT As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When Moses raised his hands Israel prevailed, but when he lowered them Amalek prevailed. Victory depended on continued reliance on God.
Overview
Moses' uplifted hands, holding the staff of God, symbolize Israel's dependence on the Lord for victory rather than mere military strength. The fluctuating battle teaches that triumph comes from God, not human prowess. This dramatic sign points believers to the necessity of persevering prayer and trust in God's power for every spiritual battle.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 1 Tim 2:8I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.
- Jas 5:16Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
- Luke 18:1He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
- Ps 56:9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this, that God is for me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 17:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.