8607. Amalek prevailed. That this signifies that then the falsity conquered, is evident from the signification of "prevailing," as being to conquer; and from the representation of Amalek, as being falsity from interior evil (n. 8593). By Israel now conquering, and now Amalek, was represented that they who are of the spiritual church cannot be in a faith that continuously looks to the Lord, but that they are by turns in a faith which looks to themselves and the world; for they who are of that church are in obscurity, and consequently in weakness, as to faith. (That such is their quality, see n. 2708, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2935, 2937, 3833, 6289, 6500, 6639, 6865, 6945, 7233). Hence it is that Amalek was not extirpated by Joshua, nor afterward by the judges, nor by the kings, in the land of Canaan, notwithstanding the command that he should be blotted out (n. 8593).
