2 Samuel 21:10

Translations

Modern

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain from heaven poured down on the bodies, she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Traditional

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Literal

And Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and she spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the heavens to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Latin

Tollens autem Respha filia Aja cilicium, substravit sibi supra petram ab initio messis, donec stillaret aqua super eos de cælo: et non dimisit aves lacerare eos per diem, neque bestias per noctem.

Original

Hebrew

English

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain from heaven poured down on the bodies, she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Notes

2 Samuel 21:10

The Gibeonites were not Israelites (2 Samuel 21:2), so they did not follow the Israelite law in Deuteronomy 21:22–23 about quickly and properly burying a criminal. Rizpah wanted to prevent her sons from being further shamed after their death.

2 Samuel 21:1–24:25

The final chapters of 2 Samuel form a coda (a concluding section). This section brings together and summarizes the main themes from earlier chapters.

These chapters are thematic, not chronological (arranged by topic, not by time). Because of this, not all the events happened at the end of David’s reign (for example, 2 Samuel 22:1).

The material is arranged using a common Hebrew literary pattern called a chiasm (a mirror-like structure). In a chiasm, the first and last sections match, and the middle section is the focus.

The structure of this chiasm is as follows:

A: Saul’s sin against the Gibeonites and the punishment that affected the whole community (2 Samuel 21:1–14)
- B: David’s warriors and their heroic deeds (2 Samuel 21:15–22)
  - C: David’s Psalm (2 Samuel 22:1–51)
  - C′: David’s Psalm (2 Samuel 23:1–7)
- B′: David’s warriors and their heroic deeds (2 Samuel 23:8–39)
A′: David’s sin involving the census and the punishment that affected the whole community (2 Samuel 24:1–25)

A chiasm draws attention to the center section. Here, the center is David’s hymns. These hymns do not focus on David himself. Instead, they focus on David’s God.

Theme notes and profiles

David

Events

Reign of Davidc. 1055 BC

Related verses

Deuteronomy 21:23
…you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
1 Kings 18:41–45
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
Joel 2:23
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
Zechariah 10:1
Ask the LORD for rain in springtime; the LORD makes the storm clouds, and He will give everyone showers of rain and crops in the field.
1 Kings 21:27
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.
2 Samuel 3:7
Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
Ezekiel 39:4
On the mountains of Israel you will fall—you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to every kind of ravenous bird and wild beast.
Hosea 6:3
So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.
Jeremiah 14:22
Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.
Deuteronomy 11:14
…then I will provide rain for your land in season, the autumn and spring rains, that you may gather your grain, new wine, and oil.
Joel 1:18
How the cattle groan! The herds wander in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
Deuteronomy 21:13
…and put aside the clothing of her captivity. After she has lived in your house a full month and mourned her father and mother, you may have relations with her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.

People

Aiah: Father of Rizpah, Saul's concubine Rizpah: Concubine of Saul; mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth

Glossary

Aiah Avenger of Blood Impalement Mephibosheth Rephaim Rizpah Samuel, Books of First and Second

Topics

Ajah: Father of Rizpah David: Consigns Seven Sons of Saul to the Gibeonites to be Killed to Atone for Saul's Persecution of the Gibeonites David: King of Israel: Death and Burial of Saul and his Sons Night: Wild Beasts Go Forth in Search of Prey During Parents: Parental Affection Exemplified by Rizpah Rizpah: Guards the Bodies of Her Sons Who Were Hanged by the Command of David Sackcloth: The Jews Lay In, when in Deep Affliction Water: Drops from the Clouds in Rain

2 Samuel 21:10

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