2 Samuel 1:13

13 And David saith unto the youth who is declaring [it] to him, `Whence [art] thou?' and he saith, `Son of a sojourner, an Amalekite, I [am].'

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 And David taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them, and also all the men who [are] with him,
12 and they mourn, and weep, and fast till the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they have fallen by the sword.
13 And David saith unto the youth who is declaring [it] to him, `Whence [art] thou?' and he saith, `Son of a sojourner, an Amalekite, I [am].'
14 And David saith unto him, `How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?'
15 And David calleth to one of the youths, and saith, `Draw nigh -- fall upon him;' and he smiteth him, and he dieth;
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.