1 Samuel 30:13
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.
Original Language Analysis
לְֽמִי
H4310
לְֽמִי
Strong's:
H4310
Word #:
4 of 21
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
מִזֶּ֖ה
H2088
נַ֧עַר
I am a young man
H5288
נַ֧עַר
I am a young man
Strong's:
H5288
Word #:
10 of 21
(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
לְאִ֣ישׁ
to an Amalekite
H376
לְאִ֣ישׁ
to an Amalekite
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
14 of 21
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)
עֲמָֽלֵקִ֔י
H6003
עֲמָֽלֵקִ֔י
Strong's:
H6003
Word #:
15 of 21
an amalekite (or collectively the amalekites) or descendants of amalek
אֲדֹנִ֛י
and my master
H113
אֲדֹנִ֛י
and my master
Strong's:
H113
Word #:
17 of 21
sovereign, i.e., controller (human or divine)
כִּ֥י
H3588
כִּ֥י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
18 of 21
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
חָלִ֖יתִי
agone I fell sick
H2470
חָלִ֖יתִי
agone I fell sick
Strong's:
H2470
Word #:
19 of 21
properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to stroke (in flattering), entreat
Historical Context
Slaves in the ancient world often came from defeated populations or were purchased in markets. An Egyptian serving an Amalekite suggests the complexity of ancient slave trade networks that moved people across ethnic and national boundaries.
Questions for Reflection
- How do the marginalized sometimes possess crucial knowledge the powerful lack?
- What connections exist between how masters treat servants and how God treats masters?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The interrogation reveals essential intelligence: the man was Egyptian, servant to an Amalekite, abandoned when ill. His nationality connects to Israel's historic experience of Egyptian bondage, creating subtle ironic resonance. The master's cruelty in abandoning him ('my master left me') mirrors Pharaoh's cruel treatment of Israel's sick and weak. This discarded servant holds the key to David's rescue mission.