The Amalekite thought that Saul was David’s enemy, and that David would be glad to hear that Saul had died (see 1 Samuel 24:18–19; 2 Samuel 4:10).1 According to pagan thinking, it is good to kill someone near the end of his life if it can serve to spare him from shame. He thought that he had done David a great service by killing Saul, a service for which he would be rewarded. In reality, however, David was not Saul’s enemy (see 1 Samuel 24:6–7; 1 Samuel 26:9–11; 2 Samuel 1:11–12, 2 Samuel 1:23–24), not even in his private thoughts.2
10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”