Deuteronomy 25:19

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

So when the LORD your God gives you relief from all the enemies who surround you in the land he is giving you as an inheritance, you must wipe out the memory of the Amalekites from under heaven– do not forget!

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְהָיָ֡ה בְּהָנִ֣יחַ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ ׀ לְ֠ךָ מִכָּל־אֹ֨יְבֶ֜יךָ מִסָּבִ֗יב בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵ֨ן לְךָ֤ נַחֲלָה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ תִּמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹ֖א תִּשְׁכָּֽח׃

Transliteration

wə-hāyāh in-hānîaḥ YHWH ʾĕlōhêkā to-you from-all-ʾōyəbêkā from-around in-the-ʾāreṣ that YHWH-ʾĕlōhêkā nōtēn to-you naḥălāh to-rištāh timḥeh ʾet-zēker ʿămālēq from-under the-šāmāyim not tiškāḥ

Grammar Details

• *wə-hāyāh*: conjunction + qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - and it shall be
• *bə-hānîaḥ*: preposition + hiphil infinitive construct - in giving rest
• *YHWH*: proper noun - YHWH/the LORD
• *ʾĕlōhêkā*: noun masculine plural + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your God
• *ləkā*: preposition + 2nd masculine singular suffix - to you
• *mi-kol*: preposition + noun masculine singular construct - from all
• *ʾōyəbêkā*: qal participle masculine plural + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your enemies
• *mi-sābîb*: preposition + adverb - from around
• *bā-ʾāreṣ*: preposition + definite article + noun feminine singular - in the land
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - that/which
• *nōtēn*: qal participle masculine singular - giving
• *naḥălāh*: noun feminine singular - inheritance
• *lə-rištāh*: preposition + qal infinitive construct + 3rd feminine singular suffix - to possess it
• *timḥeh*: qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you shall blot out
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *zēker*: noun masculine singular construct - remembrance of
• *ʿămālēq*: proper noun - Amalek
• *mi-taḥat*: preposition + preposition - from under
• *ha-šāmāyim*: definite article + noun masculine plural - the heavens
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *tiškāḥ*: qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you shall forget

Word Meanings

• *hānîaḥ*: giving rest/providing relief/causing to rest
• *ʾōyəbêkā*: your enemies/your adversaries/those who hate you
• *naḥălāh*: inheritance/possession/property
• *rištāh*: possess it/take possession of it/inherit it
• *timḥeh zēker*: blot out the remembrance/erase the memory/destroy the mention
• *mi-taḥat ha-šāmāyim*: from under heaven/from beneath the sky

Referenced Verses

• Exod 17:14 : 14 The LORD said to Moses,“Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
• Exod 17:16 : 16 for he said,“For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the LORD– that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
• Deut 9:14 : 14 Stand aside and I will destroy them, obliterating their very name from memory, and I will make you into a stronger and more numerous nation than they are.”
• Josh 6:3 : 3 Have all the warriors march around the city one time; do this for six days.
• Josh 7:12 : 12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation. I will no longer be with you, unless you destroy what has contaminated you.
• Josh 7:22-25 : 22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed it before the LORD. 24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. 25 Joshua said,“Why have you brought disaster on us? The LORD will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death.(They also stoned and burned the others.)
• Josh 23:1 : 1 Joshua Challenges Israel to be Faithful A long time passed after the LORD made Israel secure from all their enemies, and Joshua was very old.
• 1 Sam 14:48 : 48 He fought bravely, striking down the Amalekites and delivering Israel from the hand of its enemies.
• 1 Sam 15:1-9 : 1 Saul Is Rejected as King Then Samuel said to Saul,“I was the one the LORD sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the LORD says. 2 Here is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has said:‘I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed Israel along the way when Israel came up from Egypt. 3 So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don’t spare them. Put them to death– man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.’” 4 So Saul assembled the army and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 5 Saul proceeded to the city of Amalek, where he set an ambush in the wadi. 6 Saul said to the Kenites,“Go on and leave! Go down from among the Amalekites! Otherwise I will sweep you away with them! After all, you were kind to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites. 7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is next to Egypt. 8 He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agag’s people with the sword. 9 However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless. 10 Then the LORD’s message came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do.” Samuel became angry and he cried out to the LORD all that night. 12 Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed,“Saul has gone to Carmel where he is setting up a monument for himself.” Then Samuel left and went down to Gilgal. 13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him,“May the LORD bless you! I have fulfilled the LORD’s orders.” 14 Samuel replied,“If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?” 15 Saul said,“They were brought from the Amalekites; the army spared the best of the flocks and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD our God. But everything else we slaughtered.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul,“Wait a minute! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” Saul said to him,“Tell me.” 17 Samuel said,“Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD chose you as king over Israel. 18 The LORD sent you on a campaign saying,‘Go and exterminate those sinful Amalekites! Fight against them until you have destroyed them.’ 19 Why haven’t you obeyed the LORD? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the LORD’s estimation.” 20 Then Saul said to Samuel,“But I have obeyed the LORD! I went on the campaign the LORD sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. 21 But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle– the best of what was to be slaughtered– to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22 Then Samuel said,“Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the LORD’s orders, he has rejected you from being king.” 24 Then Saul said to Samuel,“I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the LORD commanded and your words as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I obeyed their voice. 25 Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship the LORD.” 26 Samuel said to Saul,“I will not go back with you, for you have rejected the LORD’s orders, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel!” 27 When Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of his robe and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him,“The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! 29 The Preeminent One of Israel does not go back on his word or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.” 30 Saul again replied,“I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the LORD your God.” 31 So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshiped the LORD. 32 Samuel Puts Agag to Death Then Samuel said,“Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites.” So Agag came to him trembling, thinking to himself,“Surely death is bitter!” 33 Samuel said,“Just as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereaved among women!” Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before the LORD. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day he died Samuel did not see Saul again. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
• 1 Sam 27:8 : 8 Then David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites.(They had been living in that land for a long time, from the approach to Shur as far as the land of Egypt.)
• 1 Sam 30:1-7 : 1 David Defeats the Amalekites On the third day David and his men came to Ziklag. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag and burned it. 2 They took captive the women and all who were in it, from the youngest to the oldest, but they did not kill anyone. They simply carried them off and went on their way. 3 When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more. 5 David’s two wives had been taken captive– Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow. 6 David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the LORD his God. 7 Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech,“Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
• 1 Chr 4:43 : 43 and defeated the rest of the Amalekite refugees; they live there to this very day.
• Esth 3:1 : 1 Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews Some time later King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position above that of all the officials who were with him.
• Esth 7:10 : 10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.
• Esth 9:7-9 : 7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.
• Ps 83:7-9 : 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre. 8 Even Assyria has allied with them, lending its strength to the descendants of Lot.(Selah) 9 Do to them as you did to Midian– as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River! 10 They were destroyed at En Dor; their corpses were like manure on the ground. 11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna, 12 who said,“Let’s take over the pastures of God!” 13 O my God, make them like dead thistles, like dead weeds blown away by the wind! 14 Like the fire that burns down the forest, or the flames that consume the mountainsides, 15 chase them with your gale winds, and terrify them with your windstorm. 16 Cover their faces with shame, so they might seek you, O LORD. 17 May they be humiliated and continually terrified! May they die in shame!