So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
10. Hur ] Although mentioned besides only in Exo 24:14, Hur must have been a man of some importance at the time of the Exodus. No particulars are given about his family. It is not probable that he is identical with the grandfather of Beal’el, of the same name, Exo 31:2, &c. Later Jewish tradition (Jos. Ant. iii. 2. 4) makes him Miriam’s husband.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Hur – Again mentioned with Aaron, in Exo 24:14. He was grandfather of Bezaleel, the great sculptor and artificer of the tabernacle, Exo 31:2-5, and belonged to the tribe of Judah. (See 1Ch 2:18-20.)
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up] It is likely that the Hur mentioned here is the same with that Hur mentioned 1Ch 2:19, who appears from the chronology in that chapter to have been the son of Caleb, the son of Ezron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah. The rabbins and Josephus say he was the brother-in-law of Moses, having married his sister Miriam. He was a person in whom Moses put much confidence; for he left him conjoint governor of the people with Aaron, when he went to confer with God on the mount, Ex 24:14. His grandson Bezaleel was the chief director in the work of the tabernacle; see Ex 31:2-5.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hur; a person of eminency both for wisdom and experience, and for place and authority, supposed to be the husband of Miriam. See Exo 24:14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10-12. Moses . . . went up . . . thehill . . . held up his handwith the wonder-working rod; Mosesacted as the standard bearer of Israel, and also their intercessor,praying for success and victory to crown their armsthe earnestnessof his feelings being conspicuously evinced amid the feebleness ofnature.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him,…. He singled out some proper persons for the battle, and arrayed them with armour, and led them forth out of the camp, and went forth at the head of them:
and fought with Amalek; upon both armies meeting, a battle ensued:
and Moses, Aaron, and Hur, went up to the top of the hill; to the top of Mount Sinai or Horeb, not so much to see the battle fought, as to be seen by Joshua and the people of Israel, especially Moses with the rod in his hand lifted up, that they might behold it, and be encouraged through it to hope for and expect victory; and the other two went up with him to assist him in holding up his hands with the rod, as appears by what follows. Aaron, it is well known, was his brother, but who Hur was is not so clear, though no doubt a very eminent and principal man. There was an Hur, the son of Caleb, who descended from Judah in the line of Phares and Hezron, and which Hur was the grandfather of Bezaleel 1Ch 2:5, but whether the same with this cannot be said with certainty; it is most likely that he was the husband of Miriam, as Josephus says w, and so the brother-in-law of Moses and Aaron; though some Jewish writers say x that he was their sister’s son, the son of Miriam.
w Antiqu. l. 3. c. 2. sect. 4. x Pirke Eliezer, c. 45. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 7. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10. So Joshua did as. Although Joshua is by no means backward, but diligently executes what he knows to be commanded him by God Himself, and it is probable that the soldiers whom he had taken to accompany him did their duty properly, yet is it expressly stated that they gained the victory by no care, or striving, or courage of their own, but by the prayer of Moses, by whose support their leader as well as the army was sustained. Yet does not Moses here boastfully commend his own zeal in praying, but is rather the public witness. and proclaimer of his weakness, that the glory might be entirely attributed to the gratuitous favor of God. Nor is there any question, that, conscious of the infirmity which he afterwards confesses, he associated with him Aaron and Hur, who might assist him in his task. There (191) is more acuteness than solidity in the notion which some have, that these two men present a figure of the Old and New Testament, on which the prayers of the saints must rest; and that the stone which they gave to Moses to sit upon was offered him because our faith is only founded upon Christ. I know how plausible such allegories are; but what I have just said is enough for me, that because Moses mistrusted his own weakness, therefore he sought these two assistants. And surely when they stayed his hands they also lifted up their minds, and prayed together to God in common supplications; but Moses speaks chiefly of himself, to show that this charge was entrusted to him by God. For he did not only offer his prayers as a work of charity, but because God had chosen him as intercessor, to conquer the enemies from afar by the stretching forth of the rod, and by his secret earnestness in prayer; and in this respect he was a type of Christ; although the similitude does not hold in all its parts. Doubtless his failure arose from his extreme earnestness, and the extraordinary vehemence of his zeal, and, therefore, praise is mixed up with blame, just as the saints, when they are stirred to make great efforts in prayer, find that not only does their vigor grow cold, but they fail from being almost consumed by their own ardor.
(191) “Divers allegories are made of this place: as that Moses’ hands, i.e., the precepts of the law are heavy, but that by Aaron, who signifieth Christ, and Hur, i.e. , the Holy Ghost, they are made easy and light. — Ferus. Some, by Moses and Hur, understand the two Testaments, upon the which our prayer must rely. Some again thus allegorize: — Aaron, they say, signifieth montanus, hilly, and Hur, fire, so two things support our prayer, high and heavenly meditation, and fervent charity. — Lyranus, ” etc. — Willet in loco.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up.Moses, we know, was eighty years of age (Exo. 7:7); Aaron was eighty-three; Hur, the grandfather of Bezaleel (Exo. 31:2), the architect of the Tabernacle, can scarcely have been less. Unfit for battle themselves, they felt it was by prayer and intercession that they could best help forward a good result, and so withdrew themselves from the actual conflict to a place where they could command it.
Hur.According to Jewish tradition (Joseph., Ant. Jud., iii. 2, 4) Hur was the husband of Miriam, and so the brother-in-law of Moses and Aaron. He was a descendant of Judah through Pharez and Hezron. (1Ch. 2:3-20.) Moses left him joint regent with Aaron When he ascended up into Sinai (Exo. 24:14).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 17:10. Hur It is uncertain who this person was: he is thought by some to have been the same who is mentioned, 1Ch 2:19 : Josephus tells us, that he was the husband of Miriam. See Antiquities, book 3: ch. 2. To account for this event in an ordinary way, appears very difficult. We must understand it as a blessing upon prayer, and as an admonition to perseverance in it; see Luk 18:1 otherwise, that the holding up of the hand, or the ceasing to do so, should influence the battle, seems not easy to be conceived. Some, indeed, suppose that the sight of the rod, held up, inspirited the Israelites; as the loss of it had the contrary effect.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Perhaps Moses displayed this wonder-working rod in the sight of the people to animate them; as if he had called to Israel to look at it, and be strong. Psa 20:3 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
Ver. 10. Aaron, and Hur. ] This Hur, saith Josephus, was husband to Miriam, and Moses’s deputy. Exo 24:14
Went up to the top of a hill.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
as = according as.
Moses (prophet), Aaron (priest), Hur (royal tribe, Judah).
Hur. Hebrew noble or well-born. The son of Caleb, the son of Hezron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah (1Ch 2:3, 1Ch 2:4, 1Ch 2:5, 1Ch 2:18, 1Ch 2:19). Josephus makes him the husband of Miriam and grandfather of Bezaleel (Exo 31:2; Exo 35:30; Exo 38:22).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joshua: Jos 11:15, Mat 28:20, Joh 2:5, Joh 15:14
and Moses: Exo 17:9
Hur: Exo 17:12, Exo 24:14
Reciprocal: 2Sa 18:3 – succour
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
CO-WORKERS WITH GOD
Joshua fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the bill.
Exo 17:10
Here is a historic parable of the deepest significance. It shows us
I. Gods dependence on His people as co-workers with Himself. In the mystery of His condescension, He has bound Himself to us as workers together with Him. There is the other side, that He makes His people willing in the day of His power; and we cannot harmonise the two. But this side is also true. God willed victory over Amalek, but it could not come without the co-operation of Joshua, the General, and Moses, the Intercessor. Had either of these failed, Gods best for Israel would not have been reached. Ah! He wants to do so many glorious things for us (Psa 81:13), but cannot, just because we fail to work with Him, specially in intercession. It is our co-working, and most of all our labouring in prayer, that gives Him that opportunity to bless for which He waits.
II. Of the two co-workers with God, the intercessor is chief.Joshua waits on Moses, the plain on the hill-top, the contender with men on the mediator before God. The battle below is swiftly responsive to the praying above. The prayer-work of Moses decides the brain-work and hand-work of Joshua. Prayer is workthe mightiest of all work, and the most fruitful expenditure possible of human energy; for what takes place on the hill decides the struggle on the plain. In prayer, then, we are not only nearest to God, but likest to Him in His mightiness.
Illustration
(1) Remember that Amalek always attacks from the rear (Deu 25:17-18). We must not only keep the front door locked and bolted, but we should brick up the back door. Too many who would not think of acts of outward inconsistency, keep the back door open for evil thoughts and desires to steal in. Ah! it is necessary, not only that the Lord should go before us, but that He should be our rearward.
(2) None of us is able to do without the help of others, and all of us are bound not only to do our own bit of work as well as we can, but to strengthen and help others to do theirs. This incident of the holding up of the prophets hands has become very famous as the type of all encouragement and help given by one to another in the religious life. No man can stand alone and reveal God to other men so well as if he can do it feeling himself backed by the support of those around him.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Exo 17:10-11. Hur A person of eminence, no doubt, but who he was is uncertain. Josephus, however, tells us, he was the husband of Miriam, Antiq., 50:3, chap. 2. And when Moses held up his hand in prayer (so the Chaldee explains it) Israel prevailed: but when he let down his hand from prayer Amalek prevailed To convince Israel that the hand of Moses (with whom they had just now been chiding) contributed more to their safety than their own hands; the success rises and falls, as Moses lifts up or lets down his hand. The Churchs cause is ordinarily more or less successful, according as the Churchs friends are more or less fervent in prayer.