The Lord’s Anointed

Duncan’s murder has been discovered in Act II, Scene iii! Macduff cries out, “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! / Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope / The Lord’s anointed Temple, and stole thence / The life o’ the building.” David, in one of the most stunning and memorable acts of mercy in all the Bible, refers to King Saul as “the LORD’s anointed” not once, but twice in 1 SAMUEL 24:6, 10. David has a chance to rid himself of King Saul’s relentless pursuit by killing the squatting, defenseless king, who was in a cave “attending to his needs” (1 SAMUEL 24:3), a euphemism for a person having a bowel movement. David shows mercy to “the LORD’s anointed,” though, recognizing that Saul’s life was not his to take. Macduff’s use of the phrase both identifies Duncan’s murderer as one who had no right to take Duncan’s life and Duncan as king by divine right.