1 Samuel 30:13

Authorized King James Version

And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר
said
to say (used with great latitude)
#2
ל֤וֹ
H0
#3
דָוִד֙
And David
david, the youngest son of jesse
#4
לְֽמִי
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
#5
אַ֔תָּה
thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you
#6
וְאֵ֥י
where? hence how?
#7
מִזֶּ֖ה
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
#8
אָ֑תָּה
thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you
#9
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר
said
to say (used with great latitude)
#10
נַ֧עַר
I am a young man
(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latit
#11
מִצְרִ֣י
of Egypt
a mitsrite, or inhabitant of mitsrajim
#12
אָנֹ֗כִי
i
#13
עֶ֚בֶד
servant
a servant
#14
לְאִ֣ישׁ
to an Amalekite
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
#15
עֲמָֽלֵקִ֔י
an amalekite (or collectively the amalekites) or descendants of amalek
#16
וַיַּֽעַזְבֵ֧נִי
left
to loosen, i.e., relinquish, permit, etc
#17
אֲדֹנִ֛י
and my master
sovereign, i.e., controller (human or divine)
#18
כִּ֥י
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
#19
חָלִ֖יתִי
agone I fell sick
properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to stroke (in flattering), entreat
#20
הַיּ֥וֹם
days
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
#21
שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃
me because three
three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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