A people descended from Esau
Scripture traces the Amalekites to Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12). That made them distant relatives of the Israelites. Esau and Jacob, later called Israel, were twin brothers, yet their family lines often stood in conflict.
The Amalekites lived in the southern part of the land of Canaan, in and around the wilderness country known as the Negev. When the Israelite spies returned from exploring the land, they reported that Amalek lived in the south (Numbers 13:29). They were a recognised people in the region, not merely a symbol or nickname.
And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife.
Their attack on Israel
The Amalekites first appear as Israel’s opponents shortly after the exodus from Egypt. At Rephidim, Joshua led Israel in battle while Moses stood on a hill. When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur supported him, and Israel prevailed with God’s help (Exodus 17:8-12).
Deuteronomy explains why this attack was remembered with such gravity. Amalek targeted people at the back of Israel’s travelling community, those who were exhausted and weak (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). The Bible draws attention to the vulnerable people who were harmed. God sees that kind of cruelty.
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
Saul, Agag, and a difficult command
Centuries later, the prophet Samuel told King Saul that God was bringing judgement on Amalek for its earlier opposition to Israel. The command recorded in 1 Samuel 15 included the destruction of Amalek’s people and possessions (1 Samuel 15:1-3). It is a painful passage to read. Christians have wrestled seriously with accounts of divine judgement, and it should never be used to excuse violence, hatred, or cruelty today.
Saul did not carry out the command fully. He spared Agag, the Amalekite king, and kept the best animals. When Samuel confronted him, the issue was not simply military success but Saul’s refusal to listen to God, while trying to defend himself with religious language (1 Samuel 15:20-23).
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Amalekites in David and Esther’s time
The Amalekites did not disappear straight after Saul’s reign. They raided David’s town of Ziklag, carrying away people and possessions while David and his men were absent. David pursued them, and Scripture says that everyone taken captive was recovered (1 Samuel 30:1-3; 1 Samuel 30:18-20).
In Esther, Haman is called an Agagite (Esther 3:1). This may connect him with King Agag or with an Amalekite family line, although the book does not spell out the connection. His plot against the Jewish people recalls earlier hostility, while Esther’s story shows God preserving his people through brave and faithful action (Esther 3:5-6).
So, the Amalekites were a historical people who repeatedly opposed Israel in the biblical story. Their accounts warn against attacking the weak and invite readers to trust God’s justice without turning old conflicts into reasons to despise anyone today.