RIZPAH, or Respha, the Daughter of Aiah, the Concubine, or Wife of the second degree, to King Saul. This Prince having put to Death a great Number of the Gibeonites, beonites, for what Reason, or upon what 2 Sam. xxi. 1, 2, 3, &c.Occasion is not known; God, to punish this Massacre, sent a great Famine into the Land of Israel,1 which held for three Years. David, who then reign’d, being acquainted by the Oracle of the Lord, that this Famine was sent as a Punishment for the Cruelty of Saul to the Gibeonites, caus’d them to come to him, and said to them; “What can I do to repair the “Injury that has been done you, that you “may bless the Lord’s Inheritance?” They answer’d him; “Let seven of the “Children or Grand-children of Saul be “deliver’d to us, and we will hang them “up, to appease the Anger of the Lord.” Then David gave them up Armoni and Mephibosheth, two Sons that Saul had by Rizpah, the Daughter of Aiah; and also five Sons that Michal, the Daughter of Saul, had by Adriel, the Son of Barzillai; or rather by Phaltiel. These they hung up upon the Mountain near to Gibeah, at the beginning Vid. 1 Sam. xxv. 43.of Barley-Harvest.
Then Rizpah the Daughter of Aiah took a Sackcloth and spread it upon the Rock; and continued there from the beginning of Harvest, till the Waters of the Heavens fell down upon them, or till the Lord sent his Rain upon the Earth, and restored it to its former Fertility. She hinder’d the Birds from tearing the Bodies by Day, and the ravenous Beasts from devouring them by Night. When this Action of Rizpah was related to David, he was moved with Compassion, and sent to fetch the Bones of Saul and Jonathan, which were at Jabesh-gilead, brought them to Gibeah, and put them in the Tomb of Kish, the Father of Saul; together with the Bones of the seven Men that had been executed by the Gibeonites.
On this Occasion they acted contrary to Deut. xxi. 23.the Law of Deuteronomy, which orders that they should take the Bodies down from the Cross or Gibbit, before the setting of the Sun. Non permanebit cadaver ejus in ligno; sed in eadem die sepelietur. But these unhappy Remains of the Family of Saul were left there, probably from the beginning of the Spring to Autumn: Whether it was because the Crime of their Father deserved this severe Treatment, or because the Gibeonites, being only Proselytes of Habitation, were not obliged to the Observation of this Law of Moses. Lastly, Whereas God had order’d David to give Satisfaction to the Gibeonites, this Prince thought fit to leave the Management of it to themselves.
A long Time before what we have now related, and soon after the Death of Saul,2 Abner, the General of his Army, fell in Love with Rizpah, and took her for Wife, or, at least, us’d her as such. It was thought a heinous Crime, according to the Notions of those People, for a Subject to meddle with one of the Wives of a King. Ishbosheth, the Son of Saul, who reign’d at Mahanaim beyond Jordan, and who was supported in his regal State, only by the Credit of Abner’s Valour, resented this as a great Injury, and upbraided him with daring to approach his Father’s Concubine. 2 Sam. iii. 7, 1. 1 Sam. xxiv. 2, 4, 5.Abner was so nettled at this Reproach, that from that Minute he vow’d the Ruin of Ishbosheth, and enter’d into a League with David, to bring into his Interest all those that had adhered to Ishbosheth. This is all we are told about Rizpah.
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