וַיִּקַּ֨ח הָעָ֧ם מֵהַשָּׁלָ֛ל צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר רֵאשִׁ֣ית הַחֵ֑רֶם לִזְבֹּ֛חַ לַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃
Et le peuple a choisi, dans les dépouilles, du menu et du gros bétail, le meilleur de l’anathème, pour l’immoler à l’Éternel, ton Dieu, à Ghilgal…
Ramban
VAYAR’ (AND HE SAW) AMALEK. “He contemplated the punishment of Amalek and he said, Amalek was the first of the nations — he was the first of them all to wage war against Israel. And so did Onkelos translate it. But his end will be to be destroyed by their hands, [as it is said], thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek.”256Deuteronomy 25:19. This is Rashi’s language.
It is possible that the word vayar is to be understood in its literal meaning [“and he saw,” and not, as Rashi explained it, “and he contemplated”], since Balaam was on the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert257Above, 23:28. and so he looked towards the land of Amalek who dwelt in that hill-country.258Ibid., 14:45. Thus he said that Amalek is now ‘the first’ of the nations, meaning that he is considered a leader of the nations, because they were mighty men, and valiant men for the war;259Jeremiah 48:14. for were it not so, it would not have occurred to them to come and attack Israel, and Moses would not have had to choose a select number of men [to fight them],260Exodus 17:9. or to pray and lift up his hands [towards heaven] until he was weakened.261Ibid., Verses 11-12. He [Moses] also built an altar and called its name ‘Ado-nai nissi’ (the Eternal is my banner),262Ibid., Verse 15. because he considered [the defeat of Amalek] a great miracle. Therefore this [man Balaam] said that Amalek is the first of the nations, but his end shall come to destruction more than all the others, as He said, For I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.263Ibid., Verse 14. Similarly, ‘the first’ oils264Amos 6:6. means “the best” of them, which are counted first [in quality].265Of the quality used for lighting the lamps in the candelabrum (see Menachoth 86a). The same [usage is also found in these expressions]: ‘the first’ [i.e., “the best”] of the devoted things;266I Samuel 15:21. ‘head’ and chief over them;267Judges 11:11. Literally: ‘first’ and chief. ‘the chief’ spices.268Exodus 30:23. Literally: ‘the first spices.’ See Ramban, Vol. II, p. 528.
It is possible that the word vayar is to be understood in its literal meaning [“and he saw,” and not, as Rashi explained it, “and he contemplated”], since Balaam was on the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert257Above, 23:28. and so he looked towards the land of Amalek who dwelt in that hill-country.258Ibid., 14:45. Thus he said that Amalek is now ‘the first’ of the nations, meaning that he is considered a leader of the nations, because they were mighty men, and valiant men for the war;259Jeremiah 48:14. for were it not so, it would not have occurred to them to come and attack Israel, and Moses would not have had to choose a select number of men [to fight them],260Exodus 17:9. or to pray and lift up his hands [towards heaven] until he was weakened.261Ibid., Verses 11-12. He [Moses] also built an altar and called its name ‘Ado-nai nissi’ (the Eternal is my banner),262Ibid., Verse 15. because he considered [the defeat of Amalek] a great miracle. Therefore this [man Balaam] said that Amalek is the first of the nations, but his end shall come to destruction more than all the others, as He said, For I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.263Ibid., Verse 14. Similarly, ‘the first’ oils264Amos 6:6. means “the best” of them, which are counted first [in quality].265Of the quality used for lighting the lamps in the candelabrum (see Menachoth 86a). The same [usage is also found in these expressions]: ‘the first’ [i.e., “the best”] of the devoted things;266I Samuel 15:21. ‘head’ and chief over them;267Judges 11:11. Literally: ‘first’ and chief. ‘the chief’ spices.268Exodus 30:23. Literally: ‘the first spices.’ See Ramban, Vol. II, p. 528.