2 Samuel 1:8 — Word Study
WLCוַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֖י מִי־ אָ֑תָּה וָאֹמַ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו עֲמָלֵקִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי׃
BSAWhomîy are youʼattâh he askedʼâmar▸ [said to me, spoke] So I toldʼâmar▸ [answered, replied to] himʼêl I amʼânôkîy [I exist as, I am identified as] an AmalekiteʻĂmâlêqîy [a descendant of Amalek, from the tribe of Amalek]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | and he said | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לִ֖י | to me | Preposition, suffix |
| מִי־ | who? | Pronoun |
| אָ֑תָּה | [are] you | Pronoun |
| וָאֹמַ֣ר | and I said | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect first person common singular |
| אֵלָ֔יו | to him | Preposition, suffix |
| עֲמָלֵקִ֖י | [am] an Amalekite | Noun gentilic, masculine singular absolute |
| אָנֹֽכִי׃ | I | Pronoun |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | ‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ |
| KJV | And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. |
| ASV | And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. |
| YLT | And he saith to me, Who [art] thou? and I say unto him, An Amalekite I [am].' |
| WEB | He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ |
| BBE | And he said to me, Who are you? And I said, I am an Amalekite. |
The translations agree on the identification of the speaker as an Amalekite.
The sentence consists of a main question followed by a direct response, highlighting the interaction between the two characters.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתָּה
verbאָמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 2 Samuel 1:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Death of Saulgenerated
2 Samuel 1:8 captures a moment of revelation where an Amalekite reveals his identity to a man he encounters. This interaction follows a significant battle, marking a pivotal point in the narrative surrounding King Saul's demise. The context emphasizes the themes of identity and consequence, as the Amalekite's lineage connects him to a long-standing conflict with Israel.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 14:7 | Then they turned back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. |
| 2 | Exodus 17:8–16 | After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. |
| 3 | Numbers 24:20 | Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.” |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 25:17–19 | Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, |
| 5 | 1 Samuel 15:3 | Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֲמָלֵקִ֖י, 'a.mal.Kigenerated
The term עֲמָלֵקִי ('a.mal.Ki) is a noun that identifies a member of the Amalekite tribe, descendants of Amalek, who is noted in biblical history for their opposition to Israel. The parsing indicates it is in the masculine singular form, emphasizing the individual identity of the speaker.
This word carries historical weight, as the Amalekites were often viewed as adversaries of the Israelites. The identification as an Amalekite has implications for the speaker's role in the narrative, highlighting the ongoing conflict between these groups.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree that the Amalekite identifies himself directly.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses linked by the conjunction, with the first clause introducing a question and the second providing the response. The finite verbs are וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (vai.Yo.mer) and וָאֹמַ֣ר (vai.yo.mer), indicating the actions of speaking by both parties.
The structure emphasizes a direct dialogue, with the question posed first, followed by the identification of the speaker. This order highlights the immediacy and significance of the interaction.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb אָמַר is translated as εἶπέν (eipēn), which also means 'he said.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, preserving the act of speaking.
The translation indicates a straightforward rendering of the dialogue, maintaining the original intent of the speaker's identification.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 1:8 shows a conversation where a man asks, 'Who are you?' The Amalekite responds, 'I am an Amalekite.' This brief exchange reveals the speaker's identity and hints at the broader conflicts in the narrative.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being an Amalekite means being a descendant of Amalek, a group historically opposed to Israel, which carries implications of conflict and enmity.
The identification may serve to clarify his role in the narrative, especially in the context of the ongoing conflict between the Amalekites and the Israelites.
This question signifies a moment of inquiry and revelation, setting the stage for the Amalekite's response and the implications of his identity.
This verse connects to the broader story as it occurs after Saul's death, highlighting the consequences of his actions and the ongoing conflict with the Amalekites.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this exchange reveal about identity and conflict in the biblical narrative?
- How might the Amalekite's identity affect his fate in the story?
- In what ways does the question 'Who are you?' resonate with themes of self-identification?
- How can understanding the historical context of the Amalekites deepen our reading of this passage?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 1:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he said unto me, who [art] thou?.... Being willing to know whether a friend or an enemy, which by his coming behind him he could not tell: and I answered him, I [am] an Amalekite: which he might
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 1 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments2 Samuel 1:8 And he said unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, I [am] an Amalekite.Ver. 8. I am an Amalekite.]
Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 1 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) An Amalekite.—The Amalekites were hereditary foes of Israel, having attacked them on their first coming out of Egypt (Exodus 17:8-13), and at different times afterwards in the wilderness (Numbers 14:45; Deuteronomy 25:18). During the period of the judges they had also repeatedly joined the foes of Israel (Judges 3:13; Judges 6:3), but some years before this they had been terribly defeated by Saul (1 Samuel 15:4-9). and it is possible that the present messenger may either have attached himself to the army of the conqueror, or have been compelled, according to ancient custom, to serve in its ranks. One of their bands had also just received a severe blow at the hands of David, but of this…
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 1 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 8. I am an Amalekite.] Dr. Delaney remarks that an Amalekite took that crown from off the head of Saul, which he had forfeited by his disobedience in the case of Amalek.
Read AdamClarke on 2 Samuel 1 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m an Amalekite.’
Tyndale line
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said to me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said vnto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
Strictly literal
And he said to me, Who art thou? And I said to him, I am an Amalekite.
And he saith to me, Who [art] thou? and I say unto him, An Amalekite I [am].'
And he says to me, Who [are] you? And I say to him, I [am] an Amalekite.
And he said unto me, Who art thou! And I answered him, An 'Amalekite am I.
He said to me, 'Who are you?' I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'
From the Latin
And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.
Simplified
He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I'm an Amalekite.’
And he said to me, Who are you? And I said, I am an Amalekite.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text (MT) of 2 Samuel 1:8 presents the dialogue where the Amalekite identifies himself. The Septuagint (LXX) aligns closely with the MT, matching seven of the eight words, though the word order and articles differ, reflecting the LXX's unique grammatical structure. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide relevant readings for this verse, so no additional variations are noted from those sources. Overall, the MT and LXX exhibit significant agreement in this passage.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֖י מִי־ אָ֑תָּה וָאֹמַ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו עֲמָלֵקִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי׃
7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 1:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp1bs
מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.
מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons
מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
in the gen. whose
in an indirect qu.
מִי ב׳ who among … ?
strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
various rhetorical uses whose
מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
once, following a verb, any one
base
H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
. in the gen. whose
. in an indirect qu.
. מִי ב׳ who among … ?
. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
. various rhetorical uses whose
. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
. once, following a verb, any one
4310 miy me
an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also
(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction
with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!
what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
see HEBREW for 04100
מִי (mi) — who?.
who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever
Part — PronounHPi
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2ms
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singularHc/Vqw1cs
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3ms
עֲמָלֵקִי (Amaleqiy) refers to the Amalekites, a group descended from Amalek, who is noted as a grandson of Esau. The term is used collectively to denote the people of Amalek. The entries indicate that it is a patronymic form derived from the root word for Amalek itself.
עֲמָלֵקִי adj.gent. coll. = (the) Amalekites
base
H6003 עֲמָלֵקִי coll. = (the) Amalekites
6003 `Amaleqiy am-aw-lay-kee'
patronymically from 6002; an Amalekite (or collectively the
Amalekites) or descendants of Amalek: --Amalekite(-s).
see HEBREW for 06002
עֲמָלֵקִי (a.ma.le.qi) — Amalekite.
Someone descended from Amekek
Group of a.ma.leq (עֲמָלֵק "Amalek" H6002)
§ Amalekite, of Amalek "people of lapping"
descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau
Ngmsa — Noun gentilic · masculine singular absoluteHNgmsa
Amalekite
A tribe that dwelt in Arabia Petraea, between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. They were not the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz, for they existed in the days of Abraham (Gen. 14:7). They were probably a tribe that migrated from the shores of the Persian Gulf and settled in Arabia. “They dwelt in the land of the south...from Havilah until thou comest to Shur” (Num. 13:29; 1 Sam. 15:7). They were a pastoral, and hence a nomadic race. Their kings bore the hereditary name of Agag (Num. 24:7; 1 Sam. 15:8). They attempted to stop the Israelites when they marched through their territory (
The Hebrew word אָֽנֹכִ֫י (*anokiy*) is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is a variant spelling of אֲנִי (*ani*), which also means 'I.' The entries confirm its use as a personal pronoun without significant disagreement among lexicons.
אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H595 אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי I
595 'anokiy aw-no-kee'
sometimes {aw-no'-kee}; a primitive pro.; I:--I, me, X
which.
אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) — I.
I (first pers. sing.)
Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs