"And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar." - Genesis 14:7
There are mysteries and questions associated with the Amalekites. To explore this, let us first look at the traditional, mainstream view of the Amalekites from Refreshing Daily in God's Word:
Traditional, Mainstream View of the Amalekites1
The Amalekites dwelt in the land around the Dead Sea. They were the descendants of Esau’s son, Amalek.
Twenty-four times you find the name “Amalekites” mentioned in the Word of God, and all twenty-four times they are either fighting or planning on fighting the nation of Israel. Of the many battles that the Amalekites had with Israel, only once did they win and that was not because of their might or prowess, it was a result of Israel’s sin (Numbers 14:4-45).
As much as they desired to defeat Israel, they simply could not, no matter how hard they tried.
Problems With the Traditional, Mainstream View2
If the Amalekites were truly the descendants of Amalek listed in the Table of Nations, we have a mystery! Here is why: Amalek descended from Eliphaz, who descended from Esau, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. Therefore, how could the nation of Amalek be formed at the time of Abraham, seeing as the father of this nation was three generations removed from being born? And yet, the Genesis 14 account clearly records the Amalekites as a nation during the early life of Abraham.
The only clue provided within this account is that the Amalekites, like the Amorites, were listed and considered a Rephaite nation. So who are the Amalekites?
A Possible Explanation2
Anakites that dwelled in the land of Seir were known as Horites. If the Genesis accounts were recorded at a later time, it is possible the Amalekite name was inserted for "Horites." as both considered Seir their home. The Horites were driven off by the decendants of Esau and the Amalekites. Inserting a familiar name like "the Alalekites" in place of the unfamiliar "Horites" is possible, but I do not believe that is what transpired.
An Alternative View2
Let's consider 1 Samuel 27:8 which says, "And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt." The book of 1 Samuel indicated the Amalekites did not descend from Esau, even though they seem to have adopted the name of Amalek once the Amalekites cohabitated with the sons of Esau in the land of Seir.
The book of 1 Samuel notes the people identified as Amalekites lived in Shur, or Seir, since ancient times. The terms "ancient times, old, former times, long ago" and "before our time" were always understood to refer to the time before the flood. This then suggests the Amalekites were in existence as a race of giants before and after the flood. In order to make all this stick, we must broaden the support claiming that the Amalekites were without any doubt a pure strain of the surviving Nephilim race. Numbers recorded more evidence for this.
There was a famous race of giants that lived in Hebron/Kiriath Arba. This was the famous home of giants in Josephus’s writings, giants who were so large and their countenances so different they were surprising, frightening and terrifying to both sight and hearing. All were later defeated by Caleb in Hebron, over 40 years later.
Is it possible that the Amalekites were indeed the true and pure branch of the Anakite line? Or were the Anakites just simply another Rephaite branch that dwelled among the Amalekites, who were possibly giants descending from the Horites? Scriptural records are not clear on this point. They only demonstrate subtly, over and over, that the Amalekites were some form of Nephilim, and in particular, direct descendants of Anak.
Nelson's authenticates that Amalek received his name from the Amalekites, suggesting that the descendants were from the seed of Noah, which defiled itself with Nelphilm. Unger's concurs, suggesting the tribe of Amalek merged with the original inhabitants of Seir, the giant Horites which formed the Greater Amalekite Nation.
Sources:
1 Refreshing Daily in God's Word: The Amalekites The Enemy of Israel (June 1, 2019):
2 Gary Wayne: Genesis 6 Conspiracy, 2014, The Amalekites, Pgs. 190-195
Other Sources:
Who were the Amalekites? (Traditional View) [Backup]
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