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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Amalek


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Amalek Amalek Amalekite Amalekite

The people's name Amalekite is initially mentioned in the story of the War of Four Against Five Kings (Gen 14). Later the name Amalek becomes the name of a grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12) who becomes a chief of Edom (v16). Balaam, in his fourth speech, declares Amalek the founder of the 'first nation,' although it isn't clear if the son of Esau is meant, or raher the founder of the original Amalekites who lived in Canaan at the time of Abraham.

The word Amalek does not really exist, but as a name it may be a compound of am ('am 1640a), people or nation; and malaq (malaq 1207), nip, as used in Lev 5:8 where a bird's head is nipped but not severed, or 'wring off' when it is, as in Lev 1:15.
The second part of the name may even come from the verb laqaq (laqaq 1126), lap or lick.
The Amalekites were thus either known as the Nippers or as the Lickers. Perhaps little Amalek when he was born licked more frequently than others, and was named Leq and his people Am-aleq, which then was projected back on their arch father. Or perhaps, since the Amalekites were a bitter enemy of Israel, the descendants of some guy who in retrospect came to be known as Amalek, were known as either the Wrung Off People, or the People That Wring.



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