Amalekites

A fierce, warlike tribe of nomads from the family line of Esau. They seemed to wander from what is now the Sinai Desert to Israel. From the time the Israelites came out of Egypt (about 1450 BC) to the time of King Hezekiah (about 700 BC), the Amalekites always seemed to be Israel’s enemy.

The Amalekites first attacked the Israelites during the exodus. In that battle, the Israelites kept winning as long as Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses. In the book of Judges, the Amalekites swept down upon settlements and took food, animals, and other possessions.

While David and his men left their village of Ziklag, the Amalekites burned it, capturing their wives and children. David later organized a raiding party and rescued the wives and children from the Amalekites. They continued to bother the Israelites until the time of Hezekiah, when they were finally defeated.