Israel, and his father urged it no more strongly upon him, although
it would have been his duty to instruct his son clearly and fully. He
should have said to him: "My son, Israel will posses this world as
well as the future world; dig wells then for their use and build road
for them, so that thou mayest be judged worthy to share in the
future world." But as Amalek had not been sufficiently instructed
by his father, in his wantonness he undertook to destroy the whole
world. God, who tries the reins and the heart, said to him: "O thou
fool, I created thee after all the seventy nations, but for thy sins
thou shalt be the first to descend into hell." [149]

To glorify the victory over Amalek, Moses built an altar, which
God called "My Miracle," for the miracle God wrought against
Amalek in the war of Israel was, as it were, a miracle for God. For
so long as the Israelites dwell in sorrow, God feels with them, and
a joy for Israel is a joy for God, hence, too, the miraculous victory
over Israel's foe was a victory for God. [150]

JETHRO

"Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware." The destruction of
Amalek brought Jethro to his senses. Jethro was originally in the
same plot with Amalek, both having incited Pharaoh against Israel,
but when he saw that Amalek lost this world and the other, he
repented of his sinful ways, saying: "There is nothing left to me but
to go over to the God of Israel"; [151] and although he dwelt in the
greatest wealth and honor, he determined to set out for the desert,
to Moses and his God. [152] Arrived at the camp of Israel, he
could not enter it, for it was enveloped by a cloud that none could
pierce, hence he wrote a letter to Moses and shot it off with an