After the defeat of the Amalekites, God directed Moses, "Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." Just before his death the great leader delivered to his people the solemn charge: "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. . . . Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under 300 heaven; thou shalt not forget it." Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Concerning this wicked people the Lord declared, "The hand of Amalek is against the throne of Jehovah." Exodus 17:16, margin.

Efter amalekitternes nederlag sagde Gud til Moses: "Optegn dette i en bog, for at det kan mindes, og indskærp Josua, at jeg fuldstændig vil udslette amalekitternes minde under himmelen!" Lige før sin død pålagde den store leder sit folk en højtidelig forpligtelse: "Kom i hu, hvad amalekitterne gjorde imod dig undervejs, da I drog bort fra Ægypten, hvorledes de kom imod dig undervejs og uden at frygte Gud huggede alle dine udmattede efternølere ned, da du var træt og mødig." Han skulle "udrydde ethvert minde om Amalek. Glem det ikke!" 5. Mos. 25, 17-19. Om dette onde folk sagde Gud: "Der er en udrakt hånd på Herrens trone! Herren har krig med Amalek fra slægt til slægt!" 2. Mos. 17, 16.