AMALEKITAE
AMALEKITAE (
Ἀμαληκῖται,
J. AJ 3.2; in LXX.
Ἀμαλήκ), the descendants of Amalek the grandson of Esau. (
Gen. 26.9-12.)
This tribe of Edomite Arabs extended as far south as the peninsula of Mount Sinai, where “they fought with Israel in Rephidim” (
Exod. 17.8, &c.) They occupied the southern borders of the Promised Land, between the Canaanites (Philistines) of the west coast, and the Amorites, whose country lay to the SW. of the Dead Sea. (Compare
Gen. 14.7 with
Numbers 13.29, 14.25, 43-45.) They dispossessed the Ishmaelite Bedouins, and occupied their country “from Havilab unto Shur, that is before Egypt.” (Compare
Gen. 25.18 and 1
Sam. 15.7.) They were nearly exterminated by Saul. and David (1
Sam. xv., 27.8, 9, xxx.); and the remnant were destroyed by the Simeonites in the days of Hezekiah. (1
Chron. 4.42, 43.) They are the Edomites whom David smote in the Valley of Salt (2
Sam. 8.12, 13; a title to Psalm lx.), doubtless identical with
Wady Malekh, about seven hours south of Hebron (Reland's
Palestine, pp. 78-82: Winer's
Bib. Real. s. v.; Williams's
Holy Cíty, vol. i. appendix i. pp. 463, 464.)
[
G.W]
