Israel gets its first taste of war after the exodus when the Amalekites attack the women, children, and stragglers (Exodus 17; Deuteronomy 25:17-19). Yahweh vows to make war against those who make war on the weak, until He blots out “the memory of Amalek from under heaven” (Deuteronomy 25:19).
He spends the rest of the Old Testament making good on this threat. He sends Saul against the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15), but Saul doesn’t complete the job. David fights Amalekites on his way out of Philistia (1 Samuel 30).
It’s not until late in the Old Testament that Yahweh destroys the Amalekites (Esther). Another Benjamite, Mordecai, leads Israel against the plots of Haman, an “Agagite,” that is, a descendant of the Amalekite king whom Saul spared and Samuel slaughtered.
Esther records the last great battle of the Old Testament. The entire history of Israel’s war is framed by wars with Amalek, and this frame gives us an insight into the nature of Israel’s wars: Israel joins in Yahweh’s war against the cruel, His relentless assault on oppressors who delight in abusing women and children, orphans and widows, stragglers faint and weary. Yahweh’s wars are defensive wars, defense of the defenseless.
Two further observations. First, Yahweh doesn’t win His victory over Amalek alone. He gives Israel the privilege of sharing His war, and Israel doesn’t complete the task until they are fully grown, matured through Mosaic and Davidic phases.
Second, Yahweh doesn’t win His victory over Amalek until He can enlist the Gentile emperor into His battle. Mordecai has to seek the permission of Ahasuerus to arm the Israelites for self-defense. Not only Israel, but the Gentiles have grown up.
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