Amalekites

Esau, you may remember, was unchosen son of Isaac; his brother,
Jacob became Israel (inherited the Promise and the Promised Land), 
while Esau, Isaac's oldest and favorite son, was left out.
Esau had a grandson named Amalek; four hundred years later the
Amalekites were the southernmost tribe of the many who opposed
the Israelites in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.


The Israelites were often at war with the Amalekites, successively 
led by Joshua, Gideon, Saul and David.

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And in Jerusalem (Plate 61) he wrote in the Voice of Mary:
"And Pity. Am I become lovely as a Virgin in his sight who am
Indeed a Harlot drunken with the Sacrifice of Idols does he
Call her pure as he did in the days of her Infancy when She
Was cast out to the loathing of her person. The Chaldean took
Me from my Cradle. The Amalekite stole me away upon his Camels
Before I had ever beheld with love the Face of Jehovah; or known
That there was a God of Mercy: O Mercy O Divine Humanity!
O Forgiveness & Pity & Compassion! If I were Pure I should never
Have known Thee; If I were Unpolluted I should never have
Glorified thy Holiness, or rejoiced in thy great Salvation.
Mary leaned her side against Jerusalem, Jerusalem recieved
the Infant into her hands in the Visions of Jehovah."


In the Book of Milton, the poet Milton came down from Heaven, much
as Jesus came down from Heaven.  Describing his journey Blake wrote
this:
"You O my Sons still guard round Los. O wander not & leave me
Rintrah, thou well rememberest when Amalek & Canaan 
Fled with their Sister Moab into the abhorred Void
They became Nations in our sight beneath the hands of Tirzah.
And Palamabron thou rememberest when Joseph an infant;Stolen 
from his nurses cradle wrapd in needle-work Of emblematic texture, 
was sold to the Amalekite,Who carried him down into Egypt where 
Ephraim & Menassheh Gatherd my Sons together in the Sands 
of Midian And if you also flee away and leave your Fathers side,
Following Milton into Ulro...."  (Erdman 120)

This passage brings up the matter of Blake's (feelings) about the
story of the 'Virgin Birth'; it violated his sense of the humanity
of Jesus. He believed that Jesus was a man like you and me.
Look at The Everlasting Gospel. Here's a passage we might read:

"Was Jesus chaste? or did He
Give any Lessons of Chastity
The morning blushd fiery red
Mary was found in Adulterous bed
Earth groand beneath & Heaven above
Trembled at discovery of Love
Jesus was sitting in Moses Chair
They brought the trembling Woman There
Moses commands she be stoned to Death
What was the sound of Jesus breath
He laid his hand on Moses Law
The Ancient Heavens in Silent Awe
Writ with Curses from Pole to Pole
All away began to roll
The Earth trembling & Naked lay
In secret bed of Mortal Clay
On Sinai felt the hand Divine
Putting back the bloody shrine
And she heard the breath of God
As she heard by Edens flood
Good & Evil are no more
Sinais trumpets cease to roar"