{"id":57998,"date":"2019-06-21T08:31:10","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T05:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=57998"},"modified":"2023-01-16T15:13:30","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T13:13:30","slug":"who-tore-whose-cloak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/who-tore-whose-cloak\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Tore Whose Cloak?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Samuel instructed Saul to exact Israel\u2019s vengeance against its arch-foe, Amalek, and to be pitiless in its pursuit. Saul, true to form, disobeyed his instructions, leaving Agag, the Amalekite king alive, and sparing the choicest sheep and cattle (9). When Samuel rebuked him (14 ff.), he replied, characteristically, that he could not withstand the popular demand (24). Samuel then notified him that his monarchy was coming to an end and Saul, desperate to keep up appearances, asked Samuel to accompany him back to face the people (25), but the prophet declined (26).<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, \u201cSamuel turned to depart, and <\/span>he<\/b> seized the corner of <\/span>his<\/b> cloak and it tore\u201d (27). Hence, the title of our inquiry: Who tore whose cloak? Four logical possibilities can be sustained: Saul tore Samuel\u2019s coat, Samuel tore his own coat, Saul tore his own coat, and Samuel tore Saul\u2019s coat. It is my opinion that Saul tore Samuel\u2019s coat as he was turning to depart because the passive \u201cit tore\u201d (<\/span>vayikara<\/span><\/em>`) implies an accidental tearing and the other three possibilities require deliberate action. While only this explanation, of the four, conveys the accidental value of \u201cit was torn,\u201d the problem is that without the interpolation of a new subject (Saul) into the sentence, the verb \u201che seized\u201d is still governed by Samuel. Our solution: Saul had already taken hold of Samuel\u2019s coat, and is therefore already recognized as the implicit subject of all subsequent actions performed on it. We have two proofs to submit in evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

First of all, the verse employs neither the verb <\/span>a-h-z<\/span><\/em> nor <\/span>t-f-s<\/span><\/em>\u2014either of which would simply mean \u201cto take hold, or grasp\u201d (as in 1 Kings 11:30)\u2014rather it uses <\/span>h-z-k<\/span><\/em>, which, strictly speaking, means to strengthen an existing grip. This implies that Saul had already taken hold of Samuel\u2019s coat and, when Samuel was threatening to abandon him, Saul tightened his hold. Hence, the second proof: At the beginning of the encounter, Saul had greeted Samuel with the claim of: \u201cI have upheld the word of God\u201d (13), to which Samuel countered: \u201cWhat is this bleating of sheep in my ears?\u201d (14), which Saul tried to excuse as \u201cintended for sacrifice\u201d (15). Samuel then said to Saul: \u201cLet go of me\u201d (<\/span>heref<\/span><\/em>; or, \u201cstay your hand,\u201d as JPS itself translates <\/span>in<\/span> 2 Samuel 24:16), implying that Saul had previously taken hold of Samuel\u2019s coat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Image: Saul Tearing Samuel’s Cloak; Samuel Killing Agag, unknown, about 1400 \u2013 1410 \/ J. 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