7734. sug

Lexical Summary

sug: To turn back, to retreat, to go back

Original Word: שׂוּג
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: suwg
Pronunciation: soog
Phonetic Spelling: (soog)
KJV: turn back
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to retreat

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

turn back

A primitive root; to retreat -- turn back.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
the same as sug, q.v.

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Overview

שׂוּג expresses the act of drawing back, retreating, or recoiling. In David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan it is used with the negative (“did not retreat”), highlighting unwavering courage rather than withdrawal.

Scriptural Occurrence

2 Samuel 1:22 records the single appearance: “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, nor the sword of Saul return unsatisfied”. The verb is chosen to stress unflinching resolve on the battlefield.

Historical Setting

David composed the elegy immediately after the disastrous battle on Mount Gilboa. Israel’s first king and his son fell before the Philistines, yet David testifies that even in defeat their weapons pressed forward until the last moment. In an era when a routed army usually scattered, Saul and Jonathan’s final stand embodied the ideal of covenant loyalty to the people of God.

Theological Themes

1. Perseverance – The verse portrays steadfastness in the face of mortal danger, prefiguring the biblical call to endurance (Hebrews 10:39).
2. Whole-hearted devotion – Jonathan’s bow “did not retreat,” mirroring the requirement that God’s servants “do not turn aside” (Deuteronomy 5:32).
3. Faith-inspired courage – True valor is shown not by victory alone but by refusing to abandon one’s charge, echoing Paul’s resolve to “finish my course” (Acts 20:24).
4. Reliability of God’s servants – Just as these weapons stayed the course, so the Lord’s word never returns empty (Isaiah 55:11); the steadfast human instrument reflects the steadfast divine Sender.

Broader Biblical Echoes

Though שׂוּג appears once in this form, its verbal family occurs elsewhere:
• Psalm 44:18 – “Our hearts have not turned back” (sug), linking physical retreat with spiritual unfaithfulness.
• Proverbs 14:14 – “The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,” showing that retreat from righteousness brings consequences.

Together with 2 Samuel 1:22, these texts contrast faithfulness with backsliding and call God’s people to stand firm.

Christological Reflection

Jesus exemplified the ultimate non-retreat: “He set His face toward Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51) and endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Saul and Jonathan’s final advance therefore foreshadows the greater Son of David, whose obedience did not shrink from suffering.

Ministry Applications

• Call to steadfast service: believers engaged in spiritual warfare must not “draw back” when opposed (Ephesians 6:13).
• Encouragement amid loss: even apparent defeat can display triumphant faithfulness; funerals and memorial services may draw on 2 Samuel 1 to honor saints who fought the good fight.
• Leadership training: Christian leaders are urged to cultivate the same refusal to retreat seen in Jonathan, relying on God’s strength rather than personal success.

Homiletical Outline (sample)

1. The Battlefield (setting)
2. The Bow That Would Not Retreat (courage)
3. The Sword That Would Not Return Empty (mission)
4. The Believer Who Will Not Shrink Back (application)

Summary

שׂוּג in 2 Samuel 1:22 stands as a vivid snapshot of resolute faith, inviting readers to press forward in obedience without retreat, confident that the God who sustained Saul and Jonathan remains faithful to all who trust Him.

Forms and Transliterations

נָשׂ֖וֹג נשוג nā·śō·wḡ naSog nāśōwḡ

Englishman's Concordance

2 Samuel 1:22
HEB: יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן לֹ֥א נָשׂ֖וֹג אָח֑וֹר וְחֶ֣רֶב
KJV: of Jonathan turned not back,
INT: of Jonathan not turned back and the sword

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 7734
1 Occurrence

nā·śō·wḡ — 1 Occ.