The Meaning of Exodus 17:14 Explained

Exodus 17:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Write this, a memorial in a Book, and set it in the ears of Joshua, that I do utterly wipe away the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens;'

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 17:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 17:1-16 - Water From The Rock Victory Over Amalek
From the smitten rock flowed the water for the thirsty hosts. So the Rock of Ages was smitten, and from His riven side has flowed out blood and water, for the sin and thirst of the world. He that eateth His flesh and drinketh His blood, spiritually, hath eternal life. Such refreshment is in preparation for warfare. Then came Amalek! When our physical needs are satisfied, there is always the fear of Amalek, who, in the typology of Scripture, stands for the flesh. Between this wilderness tribe and Israel the conflict was long and bitter. The old Adam, said Luther, is too strong for the young Melanchthon. But let the Lord fight for you! Lift up your hands with opened palms to Him; He will not fail. See r.v. margin and Matthew 1:21. But guard the rear, and ask that Jesus shall beset you behind as well as before. See Deuteronomy 25:17-18.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 17

1  The people murmur for water to Rephidim
6  God send them for water to the rock in Horeb
7  The place is called Massah and Meribah
8  Amalek is overcome by Joshua, while Moses holds up his hand
14  Amalek is doomed to destruction; and Moses builds the altar Jehovah-nissi

What do the individual words in Exodus 17:14 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses Write this [for] a memorial in the book and recount [it] in the hearing of Joshua that utterly I will blot out - the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־ מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־ זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
כְּתֹ֨ב  Write 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
זֹ֤את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
זִכָּרוֹן֙  [for]  a  memorial 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זִכָּרֹון  
Sense: memorial, reminder, remembrance.
בַּסֵּ֔פֶר  in  the  book 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
וְשִׂ֖ים  and  recount  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
בְּאָזְנֵ֣י  in  the  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ  of  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מָחֹ֤ה  utterly 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מָחָא 
Sense: to wipe, wipe out.
אֶמְחֶה֙  I  will  blot  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: מָחָא 
Sense: to wipe, wipe out.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זֵ֣כֶר  the  remembrance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֵכֶר 
Sense: memorial, remembrance.
עֲמָלֵ֔ק  of  Amalek 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲמָלֵק  
Sense: son of Eliphaz by his concubine Timnah, grandson of Esau, and progenitor of a race of people in southern Canaan.
מִתַּ֖חַת  from  under 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.