שׂוּג
to retreat
Definition
The Hebrew verb שׂוּג (sûwg) means to retreat, turn back, or go backward. In its sole biblical occurrence, it describes the retreat of a weapon—specifically, how the sword of Saul did not turn back empty from the blood of the slain (2 Samuel 1:22). The imagery is of a weapon failing to return or be withdrawn without having accomplished its lethal purpose. This paints a picture of decisive and unstoppable martial force.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Samuel 1:22, within David's lament for Saul and Jonathan. It is employed in a poetic, martial context to describe the effectiveness of Saul's sword in battle. The usage is metaphorical, emphasizing that the weapon did not 'retreat' or return without fulfilling its deadly intent.
Etymology
It is a primitive root. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest a core meaning related to moving or turning backward. Its semantic field is narrow, primarily associated with reversal of direction or withdrawal.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, the word contributes to the theology of divine justice and the fulfillment of purpose. In its context, it underscores the inevitability of judgment (the sword not turning back) as part of God's sovereign workings in the rise and fall of kings. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of David's lament by highlighting the finality and effectiveness of the warfare that led to Saul's death, a event within God's providential plan.
In the ancient Near Eastern warrior culture, a weapon that does not 'turn back' empty is a powerful metaphor for ultimate prowess and fatal effectiveness in battle. It signifies a complete victory where the combatant's armory achieves its sole purpose without failure or retreat. This differs from a modern view of weapons as mere tools, investing them with almost agential power in poetic speech.
שׁוּב (shûb, H7725) — a much more common general verb for turning or returning, without the specific martial connotation of retreat from a completed action.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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