Exodus 17:16

“For he said, because the Lord hath sworn, etc.] So some Jewish writers f557 take it for an oath, as we do; or “because the hand is on the throne of the Lord” f558; which the Targum of Jonathan, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra, interpret of the hand of the Lord being lifted up, of his swearing by the throne of his glory; but, as Drusius observes, it is not credible that God should swear by that which is prohibited by Christ, (<400524>Matthew 5:24 23:22) rather the words are to be rendered, “because the hand”, that is, the hand of Amalek, “is against the throne of the Lord” f559; against his people, among whom his throne was, and over whom he ruled, so against himself, and the glory of his majesty;…”

“Because the Lord hath sworn - This rendering is incorrect. Our translators regard the expression as a solemn asseveration by the throne of God. However, to this the objections are insuperable; it has no parallel in Scriptural usage: God swears by Himself, not by His Throne. As the Hebrew text now stands the meaning is more satisfactorily given in the margin. An alteration, slight in form, but considerable in meaning, has been proposed with much confidence, namely, נס nês, “standard” for כסא kı̂ssê', “throne”; thus connecting the name of the altar with the sentence. Conjectural emendations are not to be adopted without necessity, and the obvious a priori probability of such a reading makes…”

“17:16 They have raised their fist against the Lord’s throne, so now: The NLT sees the fist raised against the Lord’s throne as Amalek’s aggression against the Lord and his people. The alternate interpretation sees a reference to Moses’ own hands that were lifted to the Lord in prayer (17:15).”

“Because: etc. or, Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the Lord, therefore, etc. the Lord, etc. Heb. the hand upon the throne of the Lord. Isa 66:1; Act 7:49 will have war: Psa 21:8-11 Next: Exodus Chapter 18”