2 Samuel 1:13

13 And David said to 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 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 1:13

And David said unto the young man that told him, whence [art]
thou?
&c.] From what place, or of what people and nation art thou? though Abarbinel thinks it neither respects place nor people, but that David thought he was another man's servant; so that the sense of the question is, to what man did he belong?

and he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an Amalekite;
he was not any man's servant, but the son of a proselyte, of one that was by birth and nation an Amalekite, but proselyted to the Jewish religion; he might know of what nation he originally was, by the account he had given of what passed between him and Saul, ( 2 Samuel 1:8 ) ; though the mind of David might so disturbed as not to advert to it; or if he did, he might be willing to have it repeated for confirmation's sake.

2 Samuel 1:13 In-Context

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that [were] with him:

12 And they mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword.

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

14 And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, [and] fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.