Hur

8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.

Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

NoteAmalek was a group of people who lived in the desert. The name means the whole family, like saying "the Amalek people."

9Moses said to Joshua, "Pick out some men for us. Go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I will hold the staff of God in my hand."

And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

NoteJoshua was a young man who helped Moses. Later he became the leader of Israel.

10Joshua did what Moses had told him. He fought with Amalek. Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

NoteAaron was Moses' older brother. Hur was another man who helped them.

11When Moses held his hand up, Israel was winning. When he let his hand down, Amalek was winning.

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

NoteLong ago, people often lifted their hands up in the air when they prayed.

12But Moses' hands got heavy. They took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one man on each side. So his hands stayed steady until the sun went down.

But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

NoteThe King James says Aaron and Hur "stayed up" his hands. "Stayed up" means held up so they would not fall.

13Joshua beat Amalek and his people with the sword.

And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

NoteThe King James says Joshua "discomfited" Amalek. That old word means he beat them badly in the fight.

14The LORD said to Moses, "Write this down in a book, so it will be remembered. Say it out loud to Joshua. I will completely wipe away any memory of Amalek from under heaven."

And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

NoteA book back then was not like ours. It was a long roll of paper called a scroll.

15Moses built an altar there. He named the altar Jehovahnissi.

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

NoteAn altar was a pile of stones. People gave gifts to God on it.

16He said this because the LORD had made a strong promise. The LORD will fight against Amalek for all time, from parents to children to their children.

For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Note"From generation to generation" means for a very long time. Grandparents, then parents, then children, on and on.

12The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay there. I will give you tablets of stone, flat stones with writing on them. On them are the law and the commands I have written. Then you can teach them to the people."

And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

NoteThe King James calls them "tables of stone." Here "tables" does not mean tables you eat at. It means flat pieces of stone with words carved on them.

13Moses got up, and so did Joshua, his helper. Moses went up the mountain of God.

And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

NoteThe King James calls Joshua Moses' "minister." Here that just means his helper. Joshua went everywhere with Moses and helped him.

14Moses said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. If anyone has a problem to settle, let him go to them."

And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

Note"Tarry" is an old word that means wait. Hur was another leader who helped Moses. When someone had an argument with a neighbor, they would bring it to a leader. The leader would listen and decide who was right.

15Moses went up the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.

And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

NoteThe thick cloud was a sign that God was there. It also hid the mountaintop so no one could see in.

16The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. The cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from inside the cloud.

And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Note"Glory" here means a bright shining light. It showed that God was there. Mount Sinai is the mountain in the desert where God gave Israel his rules.

17The glory of the LORD looked like a fire that eats things up. It was on top of the mountain. That is what the people of Israel saw.

And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18Moses went into the middle of the cloud and climbed up the mountain. He stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

NoteForty days and forty nights is more than a whole month. Moses was gone a long time.