LIST308d
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04
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List of verses with Jews praying for conquest
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VERSE
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PHRASE 1
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PHRASE 2
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PHRASE 3
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Nu21-01b
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God, Please help me
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to conquer
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THIS NATION
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Ju11-30
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God, Please help me
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to conquer
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AMON
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Differs
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*1
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*2
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*3
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COMMENTS
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*1 This phrase is the same in both verses
*2 This phrase is the same in both verses (LITERALLY:
GIVE THEM INTO MY HAND
*3 Notice how in one verse it is give me AMON while in
the other it is give me THIS NATION
We know from LIST210z (comparison of verses Nu21-01b
and Nu13-29) that ARAD THE CANAANITE=AMALEK (because
they both dwelt in the south.)
It therefore seems reasonable that (Rashi)
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- Amalek made a deal with the Canaanites--possibly
they intermarried and intermingled.
- His Goal was to confuse the Jews who were preparing
a war against Canaanites not against Amalekites
- But the Jews sensed something wrong (probably
because they saw inconsistencies from Canaanite
customs in their dress, speech etc).
- Thus the Jews prepared for General war with
an unknown enemy*10
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LONGER FOOTNOTES
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*10 Rashi in typical fashion dresses the above idea in
child like exaggeration. Rashi states
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- Amalek dressed like Canaanites
- He wanted to fool the Jews so that they
should pray to defeat Canaanites
- But since he was really Amalekite their
prayers would not be answered and he would
win the war. But the Jews outsmarted him by
praying to defeat THIS NATION whomever it was
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This is silly--you cant fool God in prayer. God
is not literal--He looks into ones heart.
Therefore we have re-interpreted as follows
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- Not only did Amalek dress like the Canaanites;
they also probably made liasons and intermarried
- Amalek did not just want the Jews to pray
against the Canaanites--Amalek wanted Jews to
FOCUS AND PREPARE for Canaanite war (not study
Amalek military customs)
- Amalek did not really think that God was a literalist
that could be fooled. He wanted the Jews to focus
on Canaanite practices. But the Jews outsmarted him...
besides PRAYING to defeat an unknown nation, they
also PREPARED/FOCUSED for a war with an unknown nation
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By so interpreting Rashi, he becomes mature and deep
instead of shallow and child like
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