Page 131 - Bible History

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104 GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE ENTER THE PROMISED LAND
held up his arms. Thus he was able to keep his arms extended until sunset, and the Amalecites were de­ feated and driven o . Moses built an altar to God in thanksgiving, thus ful lling God's prophecy.
The Amalecites were descendants of Esau. They were a nomad people and their home was in the desert around Mount Sinai. The region in which they lived was too dry for farming, but it o ered plenty of ne pasture land for their ocks and herds.
They were a warlike people, and when they saw the great multitude of the Israelites coming into their country, bringing along ocks of sheep and herds of cattle, they immediately attacked them. It was only natural for them to fear that the invaders would use up all the pasture land and leave their own ocks to starve.
Though the original home of the Amalecites was in the desert, many of them had wandered north and settled along the borders of the Land of Chanaan. There grew up a great hatred between them and the Israelites, and this rst battle in the desert was but the beginning of a long series of wars between the two peoples.
At Raphidim, Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. came out to meet him. He brought with him the wife of Moses, and their two sons, who had been sent back from Egypt. Moses welcomed them with joy in his heart and led them to his tent. There Moses told Jethro all that had happened since the Israelites had left Egypt. Jethro o ered sacri ce to God in thanks-