And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
When Balaam looked toward the Amalekites, he spoke this prophecy: 'Amalek was the first among the nations, but in the end they will be completely destroyed.'
The prophet Balaam is declaring that although the Amalekites were once a powerful nation, they are destined for complete destruction.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Numbers, Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, was hired by King Balak of Moab to curse the Israelites, but God compelled him to bless them instead through a series of prophecies. As Balaam gazed upon the Amalekites, a nomadic tribe descended from Esau who had ambushed the weary Israelites during their exodus from Egypt, he delivered this oracle foretelling their complete downfall. This reflects the ancient conflicts in the Near East, where nations like Amalek symbolized persistent enemies of God's chosen people.
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