2 Samuel 21 11

2 Samuel 21:11 kjv

And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

2 Samuel 21:11 nkjv

And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

2 Samuel 21:11 niv

When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done,

2 Samuel 21:11 esv

When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done,

2 Samuel 21:11 nlt

When David learned what Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done,

2 Samuel 21 verses

2 Samuel 21 11 Meaning

The verse 2 Samuel 21:11 conveys that a report reached King David concerning the extraordinary actions of Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, one of Saul’s concubines. Specifically, it highlighted her devoted vigil over the exposed bodies of her sons and other descendants of Saul, who had been executed by the Gibeonites. This report would profoundly impact David, leading him to proper action concerning the remains.

2 Samuel 21 11 Context

2 Samuel chapter 21 opens with a severe three-year famine across Israel during David's reign. Seeking divine counsel, David discovers the famine is a result of bloodguilt on Saul and his house for his prior massacre of the Gibeonites (breaking an ancient covenant established in Joshua 9). To atone, the Gibeonites demand retribution from Saul's descendants. David, though sparing Mephibosheth, hands over seven male descendants of Saul, including Rizpah’s two sons (Armoni and Mephibosheth, though not Jonathan's son of the same name) and five sons of Merab, Saul's daughter. These seven are publicly executed by hanging (or impaling and exposure) by the Gibeonites at the beginning of the barley harvest and left exposed as a warning and as a sign of appeasement to Yahweh and the Gibeonites. Rizpah's vigil, recounted in 2 Samuel 21:10, involves her guarding these bodies against scavenging birds and animals from the beginning of harvest until the autumnal rains broke the long drought, indicating a period of months. The current verse, 2 Samuel 21:11, is the pivotal point where David learns of Rizpah's unwavering devotion. This courageous act, challenging the norms of ritual purity and public exposure, brings her great honor and stirs King David to action, leading to the proper burial of Saul and Jonathan's bones (previously retrieved and buried in Jabesh Gilead) alongside the bones of those who were just executed, thus bringing final peace and purification to the land.

2 Samuel 21 11 Word analysis

• And it was told (וַיֻּגַּד, wayyugad): This is a Pual stem, indicating a passive action: "it was reported" or "it was made known." The use of this passive voice suggests that the news came to David through a messenger or common knowledge, not through his own direct observation. It highlights the widespread awareness and perhaps the extraordinary nature of Rizpah’s deed, which became a topic of discussion among the people.

• David (לְדָוִד, lə·dā·wiḏ): The recipient of the report. As king, David is the ultimate authority responsible for addressing the famine and its underlying cause. This information directly implicates him in taking the necessary steps to resolve the spiritual and physical defilement.

• what Rizpah (מָה עָשְׂתָה רִצְפָּה, māh ‘āś·tāh riṣ·pāh): The interrogative "what" combined with the verb "she did" ("ʿaśtāh," perfect tense) emphasizes the action itself. The report focused squarely on her singular, unprecedented, and dedicated act.

• Rizpah (רִצְפָּה, riṣ·pāh): Her name means "hot coal" or "pavement," potentially alluding to her fierce, enduring dedication or humble origins. She is specified by her full lineage and connection to the former king, ensuring her identity and significance are clearly understood.

• daughter of Aiah (בַת־אַיָּה, bat-’ay·yāh): Identifying her father reinforces her lineage and provides her full traditional identification. This detail affirms her place within the family structures of the time.

• concubine of Saul (פִּילֶגֶשׁ שָׁאוּל, pî·le·ḡeš šā·’ūl): This clarifies her social status. As a concubine, she had a recognized but secondary status to a wife, often providing children for the male line. Her actions, coming from this position, make her extraordinary devotion even more poignant and notable. It also ties her directly to Saul's household, linking her tragedy to the broader narrative of the bloodguilt.

• had done (עָשְׂתָה, ‘aś·tāh): Reiterates that her unique vigil was a completed action reported to the king, not an ongoing observation by David directly. The past tense conveys the impactful finality of her endurance before David received the news.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And it was told David what Rizpah…had done": This phrase immediately establishes the flow of crucial information to the king. It highlights the public nature of Rizpah's act—it was so profound that news of it reached the royal court. This suggests a recognition, perhaps even admiration, within the general populace for her unwavering maternal devotion. The report signifies a shift in the narrative, from the Gibeonites' vengeance and Rizpah's quiet suffering to David's response and the eventual resolution.

2 Samuel 21 11 Bonus section

Rizpah’s unwavering dedication echoes the profound and unceasing love described in Hosea, where God's persistent love for His unfaithful people is likened to a faithful lover. Her defiance of natural elements and human custom reflects a purity of grief and love that transcends public shame or personal danger. She became a "redeemer" of dignity for the fallen in a metaphorical sense, silently performing a spiritual act that even the king had neglected. Her example also subtly challenges the sole focus on ritual and law, showing that deep compassion and personal sacrifice can lead to profound spiritual and national rectification. This quiet strength from a woman, previously a concubine of little status, highlights God's tendency to use the humble to achieve great ends, bringing about royal action and national purification.

2 Samuel 21 11 Commentary

2 Samuel 21:11 marks a turning point in the grim narrative of Saul’s descendants. Rizpah's act was one of immense love, courage, and spiritual significance. In ancient Israel, exposure of bodies was a profound disgrace, symbolizing a curse from God and a denial of final rest (Deut 21:22-23). To guard the bodies of the disgraced dead, especially against birds of prey and wild animals, for potentially six months, Rizpah displayed exceptional defiance against both nature and societal norms. Her vigil was not merely an act of mourning but a silent, persistent appeal to both divine and human justice, akin to a mother’s intercession. The report of her actions reaching David (signified by this verse) served as a powerful testament to her deep maternal affection and perhaps even the lingering presence of God's Spirit even in the darkest corners of human suffering. David, who had shown respect for Saul’s remains in the past (1 Sam 31:11-13; 2 Sam 1:12), would now be moved by this report to fully restore honor to Saul's family and provide a proper burial, thereby bringing closure to the long-standing bloodguilt and ending the famine, signifying God’s restored favor. Rizpah’s selfless vigil stands as a poignant example of devotion that moved a king and brought about reconciliation.