Exodus 17:9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
Commentary says that verse 9 is the first mention of Joshua in the Bible. He is a pretty central character in the Old Testament, so acknowledging this first mention feels appropriate. He spends his life serving God and Moses, though, of course, he messes up along the way. He is human after all.
Exodus 17:10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.
Verse 12, for me, supports the fact that God created us for community, that He did not intend for us to carry the burdens of life alone. He intends for us to have others by our side–family, friends who are like family–to help us when our strength is waning. Aaron and Hur are part of that community for Moses. Moses is part of that community for Joshua.
Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
Precious Savior, Thank You for the two big takeaways from today’s reading: 1. You created us to praise You, to serve You, but we are human and we will mess up along the way. Thank You for loving us anyway. 2. You created us for community–community by birth, by our own creation, or a combination of the two. Thank You. Help us to find our community and to stand in the gap for each other daily. Amen.
Exodus 17:12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
Have a blessed day.