The Meaning of Exodus 17:9 Explained

Exodus 17:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: and Moses saith unto Joshua, 'Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to-morrow I am standing on the top of the hill, and the rod of God in my hand.'

Darby: And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us men, and go out, fight with Amalek; to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.

ASV: 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 my hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 17:9 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 17:9 mean?

And said Moses to Joshua Choose us some men and go out fight with Amalek Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill and with the rod of God in my hand
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־ יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־ לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־ רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֤ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙  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.
בְּחַר־  Choose 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
לָ֣נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
אֲנָשִׁ֔ים  some  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְצֵ֖א  and  go  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
הִלָּחֵ֣ם  fight 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק  with  Amalek 
Parse: Preposition-b, 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.
מָחָ֗ר  Tomorrow 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מָחָר  
Sense: tomorrow, in time to come, in the future.
נִצָּב֙  will  stand 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
רֹ֣אשׁ  the  top 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַגִּבְעָ֔ה  of  the  hill 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
וּמַטֵּ֥ה  and  with  the  rod 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּיָדִֽי  in  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.