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Person

Rizpah

concubine of Saul

Concubine of Saul whose devoted vigil over the bodies of her slain sons moved David to provide proper burial for Saul's house.

4 appearances1 Bible books2 known aliases

Who or what is this?

Rizpah daughter of Aiah was a concubine of King Saul whose life intersects with two major episodes in the books of . After Saul's death, 's taking of her became a flashpoint in the rivalry between Ish-bosheth and Abner, resulting in a rift that ultimately led to Abner's defection to . Years later, when a famine struck Israel and David inquired of the LORD, he was told it was due to Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites. Seven of Saul's male descendants—including Rizpah's two sons Armoni and —were handed over to the Gibeonites and executed. Rizpah then kept a vigil over their exposed bodies from harvest until rain came, spreading sackcloth on a rock and driving away birds and beasts. David, hearing of her act, had the bones of the executed men and of Saul and gathered and given proper burial.

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Where this appears in Scripture

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Key passages

All appearances4