Agag

Agag (/ˈeɪɡæɡ/; Hebrew:אֲגַג‎ ʾĂḡāḡ, Arabic:يأجوج‎, meaning "high" in Northwest Semitic language) is a Northwest Semitic title and dynastic name of the kings of Amalek, just as Pharaoh was used as a dynastic name for the ancient Egyptians.

In the Torah, the expression “higher than Agag, and his kingdom will be lifted up” was uttered by Balaam in Numbers 24:7, in his third prophetic utterance, to describe a king of Israel who would be higher than the king of Amalek. This is understood to mean that Israel's king would take a higher position than even Amalek himself, and would exercise a wider authority. The writer uses an allusion to the literal significance of the word "Agag", meaning "high", to convey that the king of Israel would be "higher than High"; a characteristic trait of biblical poetry to use puns.