King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 30:13 Mean?

1 Samuel 30:13 in the King James Version says “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...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 30 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

1 Samuel 30:13 · KJV

Context

11

And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;

12

And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

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.

14

We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

15

And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

Read 1 Samuel 30 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study 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.

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Historical & Cultural 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.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do the marginalized sometimes possess crucial knowledge the powerful lack?
  2. What connections exist between how masters treat servants and how God treats masters?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר1 of 21

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

ל֤וֹ2 of 21
H0
דָוִד֙3 of 21

“And David”

H1732

david, the youngest son of jesse

לְֽמִי4 of 21
H4310

who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix

אַ֔תָּה5 of 21
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

וְאֵ֥י6 of 21
H335

where? hence how?

מִזֶּ֖ה7 of 21
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

אָ֑תָּה8 of 21
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

וַיֹּ֜אמֶר9 of 21

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

נַ֧עַר10 of 21

“I am a young man”

H5288

(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

מִצְרִ֣י11 of 21

“of Egypt”

H4713

a mitsrite, or inhabitant of mitsrajim

אָנֹ֗כִי12 of 21
H595

i

עֶ֚בֶד13 of 21

“servant”

H5650

a servant

לְאִ֣ישׁ14 of 21

“to an Amalekite”

H376

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)

עֲמָֽלֵקִ֔י15 of 21
H6003

an amalekite (or collectively the amalekites) or descendants of amalek

וַיַּֽעַזְבֵ֧נִי16 of 21

“left”

H5800

to loosen, i.e., relinquish, permit, etc

אֲדֹנִ֛י17 of 21

“and my master”

H113

sovereign, i.e., controller (human or divine)

כִּ֥י18 of 21
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

חָלִ֖יתִי19 of 21

“agone I fell sick”

H2470

properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to stroke (in flattering), entreat

הַיּ֥וֹם20 of 21

“days”

H3117

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

שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃21 of 21

“me because three”

H7969

three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 30:13 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 30:13 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Proverbs 12:10James 2:13Job 31:13-15

Places in This Verse

EgyptRegion · Modern: Ain Shams · 30.13°N, 31.31°E658 verses across 33 books
View all places in 1 Samuel 30 →

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