<![CDATA[Saul’s suicide in 1 Samuel 31:1-13 brings together military, psychological, and theological dimensions within a single event. However, the honor-shame dynamics underlying Saul’s action and their ethical implications for contemporary church leadership require further investigation. This study aims to examine the honor-shame dynamics in the narrative of Saul’s death and to formulate their ethical implications for contemporary church leadership. This qualitative study employs Zaluchu’s Sub Interpretative Design. The analysis utilizes thematic analysis within a pastoral concern framework, supported by narrative hermeneutics and lexical exegesis of the key Hebrew terms ālal (עָלַל), ārēl (עָרֵל), and nāpal (נָפַל). The findings indicate that Saul’s fear was not solely related to physical suffering but also to the threat of losing honor and experiencing humiliation in his socio-religious status. The use of nāpal indicates that the narrator does not explicitly provide a moral evaluation of Saul’s action. Ethically, Saul demonstrates a tendency to prioritize human honor over obedience to God, a pattern consistently reflected throughout the narrative of his life. This pattern serves as an ethical warning for church leaders to prioritize obedience to God over the preservation of personal honor.]]>
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