The Meaning of 2 Samuel 1:14 Explained

2 Samuel 1:14

KJV: And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

YLT: And David saith unto him, 'How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?'

Darby: And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?

ASV: And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  said  unto him, How wast thou not afraid  to stretch forth  thine hand  to destroy  the LORD'S  anointed? 

What does 2 Samuel 1:14 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 1:1-16 - Touch Not Mine Anointed
The scene changes from Gilboa to Ziklag, whither the tidings were carried by an Amalekite. It is remarkable to notice how David received them. Though he had spent years in the rough life of a freebooter, surrounded by coarse and hardened men, he had not lost the delicacy and refinement of his earlier days. To men like Nabal, he seemed an outlaw; but those who were admitted to the inner circle of David's friendship knew that there was a whole heaven of difference between him and the men who followed him. Let us see to it that by fellowship with God, we keep our nature uncontaminated by the world, its fine edge, not blunted, its bloom not brushed off.
It was genuine grief that made David rend his clothes, and a genuine emotion of horror that led to the execution of this self-confessed regicide. Then from the depths of a guileless heart there poured forth the "Song of the Bow," one of the noblest elegies in any tongue. Let us speak tenderly of the dead. Let God in His infinite pity judge them, while we scatter rose-leaves on their graves. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 1

1  The Amalekite who accused himself of Saul's death is slain
17  David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 1:14 mean?

So said to him David how was it not you were afraid to put forth your hand to destroy - anointed of Yahweh
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו דָּוִ֑ד אֵ֚יךְ לֹ֣א יָרֵ֔אתָ לִשְׁלֹ֙חַ֙ יָֽדְךָ֔ לְשַׁחֵ֖ת אֶת־ מְשִׁ֥יחַ ؟ יְהוָֽה

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֖יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
דָּוִ֑ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אֵ֚יךְ  how  was  it 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֵיךְ 
Sense: how? interj.
יָרֵ֔אתָ  you  were  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
לִשְׁלֹ֙חַ֙  to  put  forth 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יָֽדְךָ֔  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לְשַׁחֵ֖ת  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מְשִׁ֥יחַ  anointed 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: מָשִׁיחַ  
Sense: anointed, anointed one.
؟ יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.