Sometimes they were the Herusha or "Lords of the Sands," sometimes the Shasu or "Plunderers," sometimes again the Sute or "Archers." The third name was borrowed from the Babylonians; in return, as we learn from the tablets of Tel el-Amarna, the Babylonians adopted the second.
Hardly had the Israelites escaped from Egypt when they were called upon to dispute with the Amalekites the possession of the desert.

At Rephidim the Bedawin robbers fell upon the Israelitish camp.

But they were beaten off with slaughter, and never again ventured to molest the people of Yahveh during their wanderings in the wilderness.

The attack, however, was never forgotten, and vengeance was exacted for it in the reign of Saul.

Then the Amalekites were pursued into their desert domain and mercilessly slaughtered.