As if it were a result of the new life the people gained after drinking water from the rock, we see this victory over the Amalekites. This tribe, a neighbor of Judah, lived in the Negev, south of Israel, and controlled the caravan routes between Egypt and Arabia. Although their warrior strength is emphasized, this victory is achieved because Moses holds aloft the same staff with which he has already performed other wonders; it is another way of saying that God’s hand helps in defeating the enemies.