All those chosen by God must be treated with respect and reverence.
Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (v.14). In this passage, David addresses the Amalekite who claimed to have finished off King Saul, Israel’s first king who reigned around 1050-1010 BC. David’s question, “How is it you were not afraid…” (v.14), underscores the reality that Saul’s status as the chosen leader was determined by God, and that assaulting him—even in death—remained a grave offense. David’s response highlights his unwavering respect for the office of the “Lord’s anointed,” a term that implies divine selection and authority. This reverence for Saul’s position, despite Saul’s hostility toward David, reflects David’s deep convictions about God’s sovereignty.
The setting unfolds shortly after the battle on Mount Gilboa, a mountainous region in northern Israel that was the site of Israel’s defeat against the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-2). The Amalekite arrives with the crown and armlet of the fallen Saul, claiming he contributed to Saul’s demise. David’s stern reaction captures the seriousness he attributed to God’s anointing, as if to say that no one—whether friend or foe—has the right to move against someone God has appointed. This echoes the central theme in David’s life: the conviction that reverence for God must govern every action and decision.
Historically, David, who would eventually reign as Israel’s second king (circa 1010-970 BC), stands at the threshold of his rule. In this verse, his firm challenge to the Amalekite’s audacity foreshadows the standards of leadership David would uphold. Additionally, the Bible’s Messianic strand connects “the Lord’s anointed” (v.14) to Jesus Christ, the ultimate Anointed One (Matthew 16:16). Where the earthly kings like Saul were flawed, Jesus, the perfect embodiment of divine authority, reflects the eternal kingship that God intended.
Set to dark mode
2 Samuel 1:14 meaning
Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (v.14). In this passage, David addresses the Amalekite who claimed to have finished off King Saul, Israel’s first king who reigned around 1050-1010 BC. David’s question, “How is it you were not afraid…” (v.14), underscores the reality that Saul’s status as the chosen leader was determined by God, and that assaulting him—even in death—remained a grave offense. David’s response highlights his unwavering respect for the office of the “Lord’s anointed,” a term that implies divine selection and authority. This reverence for Saul’s position, despite Saul’s hostility toward David, reflects David’s deep convictions about God’s sovereignty.
The setting unfolds shortly after the battle on Mount Gilboa, a mountainous region in northern Israel that was the site of Israel’s defeat against the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-2). The Amalekite arrives with the crown and armlet of the fallen Saul, claiming he contributed to Saul’s demise. David’s stern reaction captures the seriousness he attributed to God’s anointing, as if to say that no one—whether friend or foe—has the right to move against someone God has appointed. This echoes the central theme in David’s life: the conviction that reverence for God must govern every action and decision.
Historically, David, who would eventually reign as Israel’s second king (circa 1010-970 BC), stands at the threshold of his rule. In this verse, his firm challenge to the Amalekite’s audacity foreshadows the standards of leadership David would uphold. Additionally, the Bible’s Messianic strand connects “the Lord’s anointed” (v.14) to Jesus Christ, the ultimate Anointed One (Matthew 16:16). Where the earthly kings like Saul were flawed, Jesus, the perfect embodiment of divine authority, reflects the eternal kingship that God intended.