2 Samuel 1:13 kjv

And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

2 Samuel 1:13 nkjv

Then David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" And he answered, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite."

2 Samuel 1:13 niv

David said to the young man who brought him the report, "Where are you from?" "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite," he answered.

2 Samuel 1:13 esv

And David said to the young man who told him, "Where do you come from?" And he answered, "I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite."

2 Samuel 1:13 nlt

Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, "Where are you from?" And he replied, "I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land."

2 Samuel 1 verses

2 Samuel 1 13 Meaning

This verse records David's immediate and crucial question to the young man who reported Saul's death, demanding to know his origin. The young man's subsequent revelation of being "the son of an Amalekite sojourner" immediately establishes a profound and complex backdrop, laden with historical and theological significance regarding God's long-standing judgment on Amalek and King Saul's disobedience concerning them. David's direct inquiry aims to ascertain the identity, allegiance, and legal standing of the messenger, which would prove pivotal in his swift and decisive judgment that followed.

2 Samuel 1 13 Context

2 Samuel chapter 1 opens with David returning to Ziklag after the defeat of the Amalekites. On the third day, a man arrives from Saul’s camp, his clothes torn and earth on his head—traditional signs of mourning and distress. This messenger immediately reports the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan at Mount Gilboa, and notably, he takes credit for delivering the final blow to Saul. Verse 13 directly follows this report, showing David's prompt interrogation of the messenger, focusing on his personal identity and background, which carries immense weight given the circumstances of the king's death and the history between Israel and the Amalekites. The historical context includes centuries of animosity and divine commands against the Amalekites, as well as Saul's explicit failure to completely eradicate them, which led to his own rejection as king.

2 Samuel 1 13 Word analysis

• וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayyō’mer): "Then he said," "And he spoke." This Hebrew conjunction-prefixed imperfect verb is a common narrative transition, indicating immediate speech following an action (the messenger's report).
• דָּוִד֙ (Dāwīḏ): "David." Refers to David, God's anointed successor to Saul, highlighting his active role in establishing order and justice.
• אֶל־הַנַּ֙עַר֙ (ʾel-hanna‘ar): "to the young man." The term na'ar (נַעַר) signifies a youth, a boy, a servant, or an attendant. It suggests a person of relatively subordinate status, likely a military attendant or a messenger. David directs his inquiry specifically to him, acknowledging his position as the bearer of grave news.
• הַמַּגִּ֣יד (hammaggīḏ): "the one telling," "who reported." This is the participle form of the Hiphil of nagad, meaning "to tell" or "to report." It describes the young man's immediate function: he is the informant.
• ל֔וֹ (lô): "to him" (i.e., to David). Indicates the recipient of the report.
• אֵֽי־מִזֶּה֙ ('ê-mizzeh): "Where from?" "From where?" A direct and probing interrogative phrase, seeking the origin or background of the individual. In the ancient world, a person's identity and origin were paramount for determining their credibility, allegiances, and legal standing.
• אַתָּ֔ה ('attâ): "you" (masculine singular). Emphasizes the directness of David's question to the messenger personally.
• וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (vayyō’mer): "And he answered," "Then he said." Another common narrative transition, signaling the messenger's reply.
• בֶּן־גֵּ֥ר (ben-gēr): "son of a sojourner," "son of an alien." Ben (בֶּן) means "son of," denoting lineage. Ger (גֵר) refers to a resident alien, a foreigner who lives in Israel but is not a full citizen. While Moses' Law prescribed protections and fair treatment for the ger, this identity is compounded by the following word.
• עֲמָלֵקִ֖י (‘Ămālēqî): "Amalekite." This is the crucial identifier. The Amalekites were ancient, perpetual enemies of Israel, who were under a divine curse (herem) due to their unprovoked attack on Israel in the wilderness (Exod 17:8-16, Deut 25:17-19). God had commanded Saul to utterly destroy them (1 Sam 15:3). This revelation links the young man, the death of Saul, and Saul's great failure directly, forming a deeply ironic and theological climax.
• אָנֹֽכִי׃ (’ānōḵî): "I." Emphatic first-person pronoun, used here to clearly identify the speaker.

Words-group analysis

• "Then David said to the young man who told him, 'Where are you from?'": This entire phrase indicates David's immediate response and his leadership acumen. He doesn't immediately praise or reward, but questions. The initial question about origin is not casual but forensic, setting the stage for his subsequent judgment, reflecting his responsibility for justice as a burgeoning king. It's about establishing facts and accountability, especially given the king's demise.
• "'I am the son of an Amalekite sojourner.'": This declaration by the young man is laden with dramatic irony and theological weight. If true, an Amalekite, the very people Saul failed to eradicate and whose actions led to his downfall, has claimed to have completed Saul's life. Even if a lie (as many scholars suggest, inferring from 1 Sam 31), it underscores the powerful narrative connection between Saul's disobedience regarding Amalek and his ultimate end. The "sojourner" aspect might imply he was not fully rooted in the Amalekite land, perhaps a mercenary or wanderer, which would make his presence on a battleground plausible, yet his ethnic origin remains prominent.

2 Samuel 1 13 Bonus section

The self-identification of the messenger as an Amalekite is highly problematic within the narrative of 2 Samuel. While he claims to have delivered the fatal blow to Saul (2 Sam 1:10), 1 Samuel 31:4-5 clearly states that Saul fell on his own sword, and his armor-bearer refused to kill him. This discrepancy strongly suggests the Amalekite was lying, perhaps finding Saul's body after he committed suicide and fabricating the story to gain favor with David, believing such news would be welcomed. His lie, however, inadvertently played into David’s righteous indignation over the death of "the LORD's anointed." This episode serves not only to link Saul's downfall ironically to his great sin concerning Amalek but also to immediately demonstrate David’s profound respect for the divine office of king, even of his enemy, and his commitment to upholding divine law and justice. The encounter, therefore, foreshadows David's righteous reign and underscores the immutable nature of God's word, as fulfilled in Saul's eventual fate.

2 Samuel 1 13 Commentary

2 Samuel 1:13 acts as a pivotal moment in the narrative, revealing David's character and establishing themes of divine justice and kingship. David's direct question about the messenger's origin signifies his immediate concern for the details surrounding Saul's death, emphasizing the importance of identity and background in a period of political transition and chaos. The young man's self-identification as the son of an Amalekite sojourner is incredibly significant. This statement immediately calls to mind the divine judgment pronounced on Amalek (Deut 25:17-19) and, more acutely, King Saul’s pivotal failure to fully obey God's command to utterly destroy this very nation, a failure that directly led to his rejection as king (1 Sam 15). The apparent poetic justice—that an Amalekite, whether truthfully or boastfully, claimed a hand in Saul’s demise—reinforces the theological point that God's word is fulfilled, even through unlikely and even malicious agents. David's subsequent actions, immediately executing the man for claiming to have struck God's anointed, underline his reverence for divine authority and his resolve to rule with swift and unwavering justice, setting a precedent for his reign as Israel's divinely appointed king.