Introduction to 1 Samuel 31:4
1 Samuel 31:4 records the tragic final moments of King Saul, where he commands his armor-bearer to kill him, fearing humiliation at the hands of the Philistines. This verse features the cohortative and jussive verb forms, which express Saul’s urgent request and the armor-bearer’s refusal. The interplay between cohortative (self-motivated volition) and jussive (third-person commands) provides insight into Saul’s desperation and his attempt to maintain control over his fate.
This study will analyze the grammatical function of the cohortative and jussive in Saul’s plea, the syntactic parallelism of the verbs, and the theological implications of his self-inflicted death.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁאוּל֩ לְנֹשֵׂ֨א כֵלָ֜יו שְׁלֹ֥ף חַרְבְּךָ֣ וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי בָ֗הּ פֶּן־֠יָבֹואוּ הָעֲרֵלִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי֙ וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִ֔י וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֔יו כִּ֥י יָרֵ֖א מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּקַּ֤ח שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב וַיִּפֹּ֖ל עָלֶֽיהָ׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
1. שְׁלֹ֥ף חַרְבְּךָ֣ וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי בָ֗הּ (shelof ḥarbekha vedokreni bah)
– Root: שָׁלַף (“to draw, unsheathe”), דָּקַר (“to pierce, stab”)
– Form: Imperative (שְׁלֹ֥ף) and cohortative (וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי)
– Translation: “Draw your sword and pierce me with it”
– Function: The imperative verb commands action, followed by a cohortative expressing Saul’s self-motivated desire for death.
2. פֶּן־֠יָבֹואוּ הָעֲרֵלִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה (pen-yavo’u ha’arelim ha’elleh)
– Root: בּוֹא (“to come”)
– Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine plural with jussive nuance
– Translation: “Lest these uncircumcised men come”
– Function: Expresses Saul’s fear of capture through a negative purpose clause.
3. וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי֙ וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִ֔י (udekaruni vehit’allelu-bi)
– Root: דָּקַר (“to stab, pierce”), עָלַל (“to mistreat, abuse”)
– Form: Qal imperfect 3rd plural (וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי) and Hitpa’el imperfect 3rd plural (וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ)
– Translation: “And they will pierce me and abuse me”
– Function: Saul anticipates torture and humiliation from the Philistines.
4. וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֔יו (velo avah nose kelav)
– Root: אָבָה (“to be willing, consent”)
– Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular
– Translation: “But his armor-bearer refused”
– Function: Highlights his fear and reluctance.
5. וַיִּפֹּ֖ל עָלֶֽיהָ (vayippol aleha)
– Root: נָפַל (“to fall”)
– Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with vav-consecutive
– Translation: “And he fell upon it”
– Function: Describes Saul’s ultimate act of self-inflicted death.
Explanation of Grammatical Function
The Cohortative in וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי (“And Pierce Me”)
– Cohortative form → Expresses Saul’s strong desire for an action upon himself.
– Common in prayers and pleas (e.g., “Let me die”).
The Jussive Mood in Philistine Actions
– יָבֹואוּ (“they might come”) has a jussive nuance, expressing Saul’s fear of possibility.
– וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי (“they will pierce me”) → Saul assumes a violent fate.
– וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִ֔י (“they will abuse me”) → Implies torture and humiliation.
The Imperative vs. Jussive in Saul’s Command
– Imperative (שְׁלֹ֥ף) → Direct command to the armor-bearer.
– Cohortative (וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי) → Saul expresses his personal wish to die on his own terms.
– Jussive verbs (יָבֹואוּ, וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי, וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִ֔י) → Describe potential enemy actions, reinforcing his fear.
Theological Implications of Saul’s Death
1. Saul’s Loss of Agency
– His cohortative plea contrasts with his former kingship authority.
2. The Theme of Honor and Shame
– Saul seeks death over disgrace, common in Near Eastern warrior culture.
3. Contrast with David’s Trust in YHWH
– Unlike David, who waits for YHWH’s deliverance, Saul chooses his own fate.
The Role of Cohortative and Jussive in Expressing Saul’s Final Plea
1 Samuel 31:4 demonstrates the nuanced use of verb moods in Biblical Hebrew:
– Imperatives command immediate action.
– Cohortatives express personal volition.
– Jussives depict feared consequences.
Thus, Saul’s last words reflect his desperation, fear, and desire to control his fate, marking the tragic end of Israel’s first king.
