David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?”
Parallel translations
- KJV And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?
- BSB So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
- NKJV So David said to him, “How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
- NASB And David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to reach out with your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
- NLT “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David rebukes the man for daring to destroy the Lord's anointed. This expresses David's lifelong conviction about the sanctity of God's chosen king.
Overview
Throughout 1 Samuel, David twice refused to harm Saul because he was the Lord's anointed, even when given the chance. Here he holds the Amalekite to that same standard. The phrase Yahweh's anointed ultimately points beyond Saul to the true Anointed One, the Messiah, against whom rebellion is the gravest sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 1 Sam 26:9David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
- 2 Pet 2:10but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;
- Num 12:8With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Yahweh’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”
- Ps 105:15“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
- 1 Sam 31:4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me!” But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.
- 1 Sam 24:6He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 1:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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