Pentecost Season · Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year C
Exodus 17:8-13
As Long As Moses Kept His Hands Raised
October 22, 2028
Overview & Insights
"As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight" (Exodus 17:11).
As Amalek attacks Israel at Rephidim, Joshua leads the fighting below while Moses holds up his hands on a hilltop, with Aaron and Hur supporting his arms when he tires. Israel prevails only as long as Moses' hands stay raised, tying military victory to sustained intercession, the theme paired with the persistent widow in this Sunday's Gospel.
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Commentary
Exodus 17 Commentary: God's Provision and Protection Enduring Word · David Guzik
Verse by verse commentary covering both the water from the rock and the battle with Amalek.
Exodus 17 Commentary Precept Austin
Word-by-word study notes on Moses' raised hands and the battle.
Exodus 17:11 Commentaries BibleHub
Several classic commentators side by side on the connection between raised hands and victory.
Exodus 17 (Geneva Study Bible) StudyLight
A concise Reformation-era commentary on the whole chapter.
Exodus 17:11 Interlinear BibleHub
Hebrew text with Strong's numbers for 'raised' and 'prevailed.'
Background & Word Study
Exodus Overview Enter the Bible
Background on the setting and structure of the book of Exodus.
Exodus 17 in Hebrew and English Sefaria
Read the passage in the original Hebrew alongside an English translation.
Exodus Overview Video, Part 1 BibleProject
An animated overview of the first half of Exodus, including the wilderness narratives.
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