Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

DEUTERONOMY 25:19KJV
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Deuteronomy 25:19 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 25:19 mean?

Deuteronomy 25:19 commands the Israelites, once they have peace from their enemies in the land God is giving them, to erase all memory of the nation of Amalek and not to forget this command. The verse emphasizes a future responsibility to completely remove Amalek’s legacy after Israel is settled and secure.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land. The context is a reminder of past hostility from Amalek, who attacked Israel after the Exodus. The verse sets a specific time—after God (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים, ’Elohim) gives them rest (נוּחַ, nuach) from enemies (אֹיֵב, ’oyev)—when Israel must act to blot out (מָחָה, machah) Amalek’s remembrance (זֵכֶר, zeker) from under heaven, highlighting both justice and the importance of remembering past wrongs.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 25:19

  • "Rest" (נוּחַ, nuach): This word means more than just a break; it refers to a settled peace and security in the land, not just a pause in fighting. The command is not for immediate revenge but for a time when Israel is established and safe.
  • "Blot out the remembrance" (מָחָה, machah + זֵכֶר, zeker): The phrase means to completely erase any trace or memory of Amalek, not just defeat them in battle. It is a strong call to remove their legacy from history.
  • "Forget" (שָׁכַח, shakach): The verse ends with a command not to forget this duty, stressing the seriousness and lasting importance of the instruction.

Why Deuteronomy 25:19 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the command to deal with Amalek is not about personal vengeance but a national responsibility, to be carried out only when Israel is secure in the land.
  • The emphasis on blotting out remembrance, not just defeating Amalek, shows the focus is on erasing the influence and legacy of a people who acted with particular hostility.
  • The call not to forget highlights the importance of memory in Israel’s history—remembering both past wrongs and the responsibilities that come with God’s promises.

Where else these words appear

“remembrance” Hebrew H2143 · used in 23 verses

  • Exodus 3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
  • Psalms 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
  • Psalms 135:13 Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.

“out” Hebrew H4229 · used in 32 verses

  • Genesis 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
  • Deuteronomy 29:20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
  • Psalms 109:13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

“Amalek” Hebrew H6002 · used in 37 verses

  • Genesis 36:12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife.
  • Judges 3:13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
  • 1 Samuel 15:8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

“rest” Hebrew H5117 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
  • 2 Samuel 21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
  • Isaiah 7:19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.