Amalek appeared before the Jewish camp, and calling the people
by name, he invited them to leave the camp, and come out to him.
"Reuben! Simeon! Levi! etc.," he would call, "come out to me,
your brother, and transact business with me."

Those who answered the enticing call, found certain death at his
hands; and not only did Amalek kill them, but he also mutilated
their corpses, following the example of his grandsire Esau, by
cutting off a certain part of the body, and throwing it toward
heaven with the mocking words, "Here shalt Thou have what Thou
desirest." In this way did he jeer at the token of the Abrahamic
covenant.

So long as the Jews remained within the encampment, he could, of
course, do them no harm, for the cloud enveloped them, and under
its shelter they were as well fortified as a city that is surrounded by
a solid wall. The cloud, however, covered those only who were
pure, but the unclean had to stay beyond it, until they were
cleansed by a ritual bath, and these Amalek caught and killed. The
sinners, too, particularly the tribe of Dan, who were all
worshippers of idols, were not protected by the cloud, and
therefore exposed to the attacks of Amalek. [141]

Moses did not himself set out to battle against this dangerous foe
of Israel, but he sent his servant Joshua, and for good reasons.
Moses knew that only a descendant of Rachel, like the Ephraimite
Joshua, could conquer the descendant of Esau. All the sons of
Jacob had taken part in the unbrotherly act of selling Joseph as a
slave, hence none of their descendants might stand up in battle
against the descendant of Esau; for they who had themselves acted