Unsung Heroes: Hur, A Man Who Helped Moses

Introduction: Aaron and Joshua are mentioned often as men who helped Moses as Israel journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. There was one other man who assisted Moses, when Moses really needed some help. His name is Hur and he is another unsung hero.

Text: Exodus 17:8-16, KJV: 8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 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. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: 16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Israel’s journey to the Promised Land began with the Exodus or deliverance from Egypt. They had crossed the Red Sea, and had seen the LORD perform another pair of miracles; first, by providing a way across, on dry ground (!) and then by returning the waters to their previous condition. Every Egyptian soldier who followed Israel drowned in the Red Sea! Israel saw these two miracles and BELIEVED (Exodus 14:30-31)!

Afterwards they traveled through the wilderness to Rephidim (Ex 17:1). We’re not told how long they stayed, but there were some people who noticed and decided to give the Israelites a not-so-welcome welcome. These were the Amalekites, descended from Amalek, one of Esau’s grandsons (Genesis 36:12). Why there was such hostility towards Israel is not stated, but there it was, and Amalek was going to try to put Israel out of business for good.

The Amalekites attacked some of the Israelites (see Deuteronomy 25:17-18) but not the strong. No, these cowards attacked some of the “feeble, faint, and weary” or the “easy pickings”. Moses promptly commissioned Joshua to basically fight back.

Moses, Aaron, and Hur went “up to the top of the hill (which one is not specified)”. Moses had taken “the rod of God” with him. Ellicott stated in his commentary of Exodus chapter 4 that this may have been the same staff or rod Moses had used in the desert when he was tending sheep for Jethro (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/exodus/4.htm). Albert Barnes stated that the plain rod Moses had used became consecrated because of the miracle Moses saw in verse 2 (see https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/exodus/4.htm). Certainly there was no power in the rod itself; Moses’ trust and faith was in the LORD, not his rod or his staff.

As it turned out, when Moses held his hands up, Israel prevailed against Amalek but when his hands dropped down (from fatigue?), Amalek prevailed against Israel! Aaron and Hur observed this and took a couple of steps to assist Moses; first, they found a stone so Moses could sit down. Standing in one place for more than a few moments can well become very painful, let alone when trying to hold up one’s arms! Then, Aaron and Hur sat by each of Moses’ arms and somehow held them up.

We’re not told when Moses went to the top of the hill, or when Aaron and Hur met up with him, but we do know the “Battle of Rephidim” lasted all day. Verse 12 says Aaron and Hur kept the hands of Moses steady until sundown.

Joshua did his part by taking the fight to Amalek. Aaron and Hur did theirs by supporting Moses. I mean, had they not helped Moses keep his hands and arms upraised, the battle may have turned out very differently.

Aaron of course is mentioned often in these first five books, but Hur is only mentioned here and in Exodus 24 as, with Aaron, to be a judge for the people while Moses was with the LORD at the top of Mount Sinai. We don’t know much more about Hur such as when or where he died, but when Moses needed help, Hur was ready to provide that help. I’m sure Moses appreciated what Hur did, as well as Joshua, the soldiers, and the rest of the nation!

You and I may be asked to do nothing more than “hold up the arms” of another servant of the Lord. There’s no greater privilege, and I doubt there would be any greater reward, than helping a brother or sister in the Lord when they need it!

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)