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Amalek

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Descendant of Esau whose people became Israel’s archenemies in the wilderness

Detailed Definition
Amalek, grandson of Esau, founded a tribe that attacked Israel at Rephidim (Exodus 17); God vowed perpetual war against them. They embody opposition to divine deliverance. In poetry, Amalek represents relentless spiritual opposition, the enemy that strikes the weak, and the memory of unprovoked aggression—often symbolizing doubt, weariness, or the forces that seek to erase God’s chosen.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Amalek’s perpetual enmity (Exodus 17) symbolizes spiritual opposition; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Amalek represents the forces that attack the weary; In William Cowper’s hymns, Amalek’s defeat by Joshua prefigures Christ’s victory; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Amalek warns against attacking the vulnerable; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Amalek embodies the spirit of unrelenting evil; In Christina Rossetti’s "Goblin Market," Amalek-like foes threaten the journey of faith.
Additional Notes
Amalek: Nomadic enemy of Israel, first to attack them after the Exodus (Exodus 17); symbol of persistent opposition to God’s people. God commands their utter destruction (1 Samuel 15), making Amalek a byword for implacable enmity. In poetry, “Amalek” functions metonymically for any enduring spiritual or moral adversary. Useful in apocalyptic, militant, or ethical verse—often paired with “blot out the memory.”
Also Known As
Amalek the Agagite Amalekites’ eponymous ancestor
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