2 Samuel 1:8

KJV

And he said unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, I [am] an Amalekite.

KJV (with Strong's)

And he said {H559} unto me, Who art thou? And I answered {H559} him, I am an Amalekite {H6003}.

Complete Jewish Bible

He said to me, 'Who are you?' and I answered, 'I'm an 'Amaleki'

Berean Standard Bible

‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

American Standard Version

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
2 Samuel 1:8 records the pivotal exchange between the mortally wounded King Saul and a young Amalekite on Mount Gilboa. Saul, in his final moments, inquires about the identity of the man before him, to which the Amalekite unequivocally declares himself to be an Amalekite. This brief dialogue is fraught with dramatic irony and profound theological implications, setting the stage for David's immediate and severe judgment upon the bearer of the news of Saul's death, highlighting themes of identity, divine judgment, and the consequences of one's words and actions.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within the dramatic opening chapter of 2 Samuel, which immediately follows the tragic conclusion of 1 Samuel. The preceding chapter, [1 Samuel 31](/1_samuel/31 "1 Samuel 31 - The Death of Saul and His Sons"), details the devastating defeat of Israel by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, culminating in the deaths of King Saul and his three sons, including Jonathan. David, having been in Ziklag, receives the news from this Amalekite, who claims to have been present at Saul's death and even to have delivered the final blow. The Amalekite's declaration in [2 Samuel 1:8](/2_samuel/1-8 "2 Samuel 1:8 - The Amalekite's Declaration") is the first direct interaction between the dying king and this messenger, establishing the messenger's identity, which proves crucial to David's subsequent judgment in [2 Samuel 1:16](/2_samuel/1-16 "2 Samuel 1:16 - David's Judgment on the Amalekite"). The narrative suspense builds from the Amalekite's arrival in [2 Samuel 1:2](/2_samuel/1-2 "2 Samuel 1:2 - The Amalekite Arrives") to his detailed, yet likely fabricated, account of Saul's death in [2 Samuel 1:9-10](/2_samuel/1-9 "2 Samuel 1:9 - The Amalekite's Account of Saul's Death").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The declaration "I am an Amalekite" carries immense historical and cultural weight. The Amalekites were a nomadic people, perennial enemies of Israel from the time of the Exodus. They launched an unprovoked attack on the weary Israelites in the wilderness ([Exodus 17:8-16](/exodus/17-8 "Exodus 17:8-16 - Amalek Attacks Israel")), prompting a divine decree that their memory should be blotted out ([Deuteronomy 25:17-19](/deuteronomy/25-17 "Deuteronomy 25:17-19 - Remember Amalek")). King Saul himself had been specifically commanded by God through Samuel to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including their king Agag, but he famously disobeyed, sparing Agag and the best of the livestock ([1 Samuel 15:1-9](/1_samuel/15-1 "1 Samuel 15:1-9 - Saul's Disobedience Regarding Amalek")). This act of disobedience led to God's rejection of Saul as king. Thus, for an Amalekite to appear at Saul's death, especially one claiming to have killed him, is deeply ironic and culturally significant, linking Saul's end to his most significant failure. The cultural expectation would have been for a loyal Israelite to assist their king, not an enemy.
* **Key Themes:** The primary themes converging in this verse include **Identity and Origin**, as the Amalekite's self-identification immediately places him within a long history of conflict and divine judgment against his people. This declaration highlights the **Consequences of Disobedience**, particularly Saul's failure to eradicate the Amalekites, which now ironically culminates in an Amalekite's presence at his death. The verse also touches upon the **Weight of a Confession** and the **Nature of Truth**, as the Amalekite's claim, whether true or fabricated for perceived reward, ultimately seals his fate. David's reaction underscores the theme of **Divine Justice and Vengeance**, as he acts swiftly to punish one who claims to have laid hands on "the Lord's anointed," a concept central to David's respect for divine authority, even over his enemy, Saul, as seen in [1 Samuel 24:6](/1_samuel/24-6 "1 Samuel 24:6 - David Spares Saul's Life").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Who [art] thou? (Hebrew, _mi ‘attah'_):** This is a direct, urgent inquiry from Saul, reflecting his weakened and desperate state. The Hebrew is more succinct, literally "Who you?" The KJV's insertion of "[art]" clarifies the English grammatical flow without altering the core meaning. It signifies a moment of vulnerability and a need for identification from the dying king, perhaps hoping for a loyal soldier or someone to offer a merciful end.
* **Amalekite (Hebrew, עֲמָלֵקִי, _‘Amaleqi'_):** The self-identification as an "Amalekite" is loaded with historical and theological significance. It immediately invokes the long-standing, divinely ordained enmity between Israel and Amalek, as commanded in passages like [Exodus 17:16](/exodus/17-16 "Exodus 17:16 - The Lord's War Against Amalek") and [Deuteronomy 25:19](/deuteronomy/25-19 "Deuteronomy 25:19 - Blot Out the Remembrance of Amalek"). This identity is particularly poignant given King Saul's own failure to fully execute God's judgment against the Amalekites, an act of disobedience that led to his rejection as king ([1 Samuel 15:9](/1_samuel/15-9 "1 Samuel 15:9 - Saul Spares Agag and the Best of the Livestock")). The Amalekite's declaration thus connects Saul's end to his most significant spiritual failure.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he said unto me, Who [art] thou?":** This clause presents the dying Saul's final recorded words to a human before his death (as relayed by the Amalekite). The question is direct and personal, indicating Saul's awareness of another presence and his need to identify them. The bracketed "art" is an English grammatical insertion by the KJV translators to make the Hebrew more natural in English; the original Hebrew is a concise "Who you?" This question underscores Saul's vulnerability and possibly his desperation for assistance or an end to his suffering.
* **"And I answered him, I [am] an Amalekite.":** This is the Amalekite's stark and self-incriminating declaration. The simple "I am an Amalekite" (the bracketed "am" being a KJV insertion) immediately establishes his identity as a member of Israel's ancient, cursed enemy. This confession, whether entirely true regarding his role in Saul's death or fabricated for perceived reward from David, is the crucial piece of information that will determine his fate. It places him in a position of direct opposition to the covenant people and, ironically, links him to Saul's own past disobedience.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices. **Irony** is prominent, as an Amalekite—the very people Saul was commanded to utterly destroy, and whose sparing led to his downfall—is now present at Saul's death and claims to have delivered the fatal blow. This creates a powerful, tragic echo of Saul's disobedience. **Dialogue** is used to convey a moment of intense interaction, even if brief, highlighting the directness of Saul's inquiry and the Amalekite's bold, self-identifying response. The Amalekite's declaration also serves as a form of **Foreshadowing**, hinting at the severe consequences that will befall him at David's hand, as his identity and claim are irreconcilable with David's reverence for God's anointed. The starkness of the declaration also lends itself to **Symbolism**, where "Amalekite" represents not just an ethnic group but a persistent, divinely condemned enemy of God's people.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The Amalekite's declaration in 2 Samuel 1:8 is deeply intertwined with the biblical narrative of divine judgment and the consequences of disobedience. The Amalekites were marked out by God as a people whose evil deserved complete eradication due to their unprovoked attack on Israel in the wilderness. Saul's failure to carry out this divine command was a pivotal moment in his rejection as king. Thus, the presence of an Amalekite at Saul's death, particularly one who claims responsibility for it, serves as a grim theological bookend to Saul's reign, illustrating how the consequences of sin and disobedience can manifest in unexpected and ironic ways. David's subsequent swift judgment on the Amalekite (2 Samuel 1:15-16) underscores his commitment to God's justice and his reverence for God's anointed, even in the case of his adversary, Saul.

* [Exodus 17:16](/exodus/17-16 "Exodus 17:16 - The Lord's War with Amalek from Generation to Generation")
* [Deuteronomy 25:19](/deuteronomy/25-19 "Deuteronomy 25:19 - Blotting Out the Remembrance of Amalek")
* [1 Samuel 15:9](/1_samuel/15-9 "1 Samuel 15:9 - Saul Spares Agag and the Best of the Livestock")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The brief exchange in 2 Samuel 1:8, though historical, offers profound insights into the nature of identity, truth, and consequences. The Amalekite's self-declaration, whether true or a calculated lie for gain, ultimately defined him in David's eyes and sealed his fate. This reminds us that our identity, particularly our spiritual identity, is not merely a label but a profound reality that shapes our actions and determines our destiny. Are we identified with Christ, or with the world and its fleeting promises? Furthermore, the narrative highlights the immense weight of our words. What we confess, claim, or declare, especially in critical moments, carries significant spiritual and practical consequences. It prompts us to consider the truthfulness and integrity of our own declarations and the ultimate source of our hope and security.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the Amalekite's self-identification challenge or affirm your understanding of the power of identity, both personal and spiritual?**
* **In what ways do our words, confessions, or claims, like the Amalekite's, have significant consequences in our lives today?**
* **How does David's response to the Amalekite's claim inform our understanding of justice and accountability in a spiritual context?**

### FAQ
**Was the Amalekite telling the truth about killing Saul?**

Answer: While the Amalekite claimed to have delivered the fatal blow to Saul and to have taken his crown and armlet, the biblical account in [1 Samuel 31:4-5](/1_samuel/31-4 "1 Samuel 31:4-5 - Saul Falls on His Own Sword") states that Saul fell on his own sword, and his armor-bearer refused to kill him. This suggests the Amalekite likely fabricated or exaggerated his role to curry favor with David, believing David would reward him for removing his rival. However, David's response was not one of reward but of swift judgment, as he considered it an unthinkable act to lay hands on "the Lord's anointed." The Amalekite's claim, whether true or false, was his undoing.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of the Amalekite, a persistent enemy of God's people, and his encounter with Saul and David, finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as the Amalekite represented a historical enemy, humanity, in its fallen state, is an enemy of God, alienated by sin ([Romans 5:10](/romans/5-10 "Romans 5:10 - While We Were Enemies, We Were Reconciled to God")). However, Christ did not come to destroy the "enemy" in the same way David executed the Amalekite. Instead, He came to reconcile enemies to God through His sacrificial death. On the cross, Jesus defeated the ultimate enemies: sin, death, and the power of Satan ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ Disarmed the Rulers and Authorities")). He became the true King who, unlike Saul, perfectly obeyed God's will, even to the point of death ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience to Death")). Through Christ, our identity is transformed from "enemy" to "child of God" ([John 1:12](/john/1-12 "John 1:12 - Children of God")). The victory over Amalek, a type of evil, is fully realized in Christ's triumph over all spiritual wickedness, offering redemption and a new identity to all who believe, rather than condemnation based on their past enmity ([2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Creation in Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Samuel 30:17

And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

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.

1 Samuel 30:1

¶ And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

1 Samuel 15:3

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Numbers 24:20

And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever.

Deuteronomy 25:17

Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

Deuteronomy 25:19

Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance to possess it, [that] thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget [it].