~ Uplifted Hands ~

The Amalekites came and attacked
the Israelites at Rephidim.
Moses said to Joshua,
"Choose some of our men
and go out to fight the Amalekites.
Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hands.

So Joshua fought the Amalekites
as Moses had ordered,
and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.
As long as Moses held up his hands,
the Israelites were winning,
but whenever he lowered his hands,
the Amalekites were winning.
When Moses hands grew tired,
they took a stone and put it under him
and he sat on it.
Aaron and Hur held his hands up --
one on one side, one on the other --
so that his hands remained steady til sunset.
So Joshua over came the Amalekite army
with the sword.

Then the Lord said to Moses,
"Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered
and make sure that Joshua hears it,
because I will completely blot out
the memory of Amalek from under heaven.

Moses built an altar and called
The Lord is my Banner.
He said, "For hands were lifted up
to the throne of the Lord.
The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites
from generation to generation."

(Exodus 17:8-16)