What is the proper translation of Exodus 17:16?

Question

I was reviewing occurrences of יָהּ throughout the Tanakh. It occurs in Exo. 17:16 which [verse] I noticed is translated differently by the various English versions.

Hebrew text:

וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ מִלְחָמָה לַיהוָה בַּֽעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר

which is translated by the King James Version as,

¹⁶ For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. ^{KJV, 1769}

However, the New Living Translation states,

¹⁶ He said, “They have raised their fist against the LORD’s throne, so now the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.” ^{NLT, 2007}

Other translations also differ. What is the cause for the diverging translations?

Answer 1

This phrase is indeed archaic and extremely ambiguous. Literally the verse כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ translates as "for the hand on the throne of god".

Now the KJV understands this to mean that the LORD swore to fight the Amalekites every generation. According to this interpretation "the hand" mentioned here refers to god's hand; and the hands on the throne symbolizes the oath that god made to destroy them. The NLT understands that the hand here refers to the hands of the Amalekites, meaning that they lifted their hands on the throne of god to topple and destory his kingdom.

I prefer the KJV translation as the verse flows better, since מִלְחָמָה לַיהוָה בַּֽעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר is obviously talking about god. But according to the NLT we have to insert the words "so now", which is not evident from the verse, and the verse doesn't flow so well either, since the verse has to be divided between Amalek (כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ) and god (מִלְחָמָה לַיהוָה בַּֽעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר).