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[KJV]2 Samuel 21:
8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
10 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.
This is the touching story of a Mother’s love for her children even in death.
I know that sackcloth was used for morning the dead, but then it was worn on the body. It didn’t say she wore it . It said she spread it upon the rock.
I wondered if her use of sackcloth instead of something else was an indication of the land’s repentance. For in the Bible I see it used that way, (ex.
[KJV]Nehemiah 9:1: Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.)
Dr. Vinny Hudson
While the narrative of Rizpah’s mourning in 2 Samuel 21 is indeed poignant and highlights a mother’s love, it is important to approach interpretations with caution. The claim that her use of sackcloth signifies the land’s repentance lacks textual evidence and disregards the broader context of mourning practices in ancient Israel. According to Pew Research, biblical texts often require careful hermeneutical approaches to extract their meanings (Pew Research Center, 2018). Furthermore, the comparison with Nehemiah 9:1 overlooks that sackcloth can symbolize various responses to grief and not exclusively repentance. Such interpretations risk veering into Gnostic theology by suggesting hidden meanings where none are intended, thus straying from orthodox Christian teachings (Christianity.com). Therefore, this reading of Rizpah’s actions should be reconsidered as it may lead readers astray from the true message of lamentation found in Scripture. In conclusion, while Rizpah’s actions are significant within her narrative, the implications drawn about communal repentance appear unfounded and could be seen as misleading, aligning more closely with personal interpretations than established theological principles.