AMALEKITES, a powerful people of Arabia Petrxa, are generally considered as the descendants of Amalek, the son of Elephaz, and grandson of Esau. (Gen. xxxvi. 12. 16.) It is not easy, however, to conceive how they could have become a numerous tribe in the space of two generations ; and how they should have been so for midable to the Israelites, who were the offspring of Ja cob, the brother of Esau, and consequently had increas ed for two generations before the birth of Amalek. Be sides, Moses speaks of the Amalekites in the time of Abraham. (Gen. xiv. 7.) They are always mentioned too, in conjunction with the Canaanites and Philistines, and not with the Edomites, who were the general off spring of Esau. It is much more likely, therefore, that the Amalekites, according to the Arabian account, were descended from a grandson of Noah, named Ama lek ; and that there were different tribes of that name. One of the most numerous and warlike of these tribes was peculiarly hostile to the Israelites in their progress from Egypt to Canaan. Scarcely had the latter passed the Red Sea, when these inhabitants of the desert cut of the straggling and fatigued. The Israelites found
it necessary, therefore, to prepare themselves for repel ling these attacks. After being formed and disciplined as an army, they gave battle to the Amalekites ; and by the good conduct of Joshua, they gained a complete victory. (Exod. xyii. 12.—Joseph. rintig. 1. iii. c. 2.) The same people began to oppress the Israelites under the Judges, but were defeated and driven back by Gi deon. (?udg. iii. 13.) Saul at length fully avenged the injuries which they had committed against his people, and cut off the greater part of the Amalekites in the neighbourhood of Canaan. (1 Sam. xv.) A few bands of those who had escaped this destruction, afterwards attacked and pillaged Ziklag, where David had left his family and substance ; but he came up M ith them, dis persed their party, and retook the spoil. (1 Sam. xxx. I, 2.) After this, there is no farther mention of them made in history. See Cainlet's Dict. .4malek ; and Jo sephus, Antig. ?ud. lib. vi. c. 8. Lib. iii. c. 2. (q)