2 Samuel 21:10 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rizpah keeps a long vigil over the bodies, guarding them day and night from birds and beasts until the rains come.
What Does 2 Samuel 21:10 Mean?
Rizpah, mother of two of the slain, spreads sackcloth on the rock and keeps watch over the dead. Through the long weeks from harvest until the rains finally fall, she drives off the birds by day and the wild animals by night, refusing to let the bodies be dishonored.
Hers is one of Scripture's most moving portraits of love: a grieving mother who will not abandon her own even in death, who keeps a faithful watch when she can do nothing else. The rain that at last falls signals heaven's answer and the end of the drought. Her steadfast devotion stirs even the king, and reminds the reader that love which keeps watch in sorrow is never wasted before God.
2 Samuel 21:10 in the Original Language
saq (שַׂק), 'sackcloth' -- coarse cloth worn or spread as a sign of deep mourning and grief.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 21:10
What does 2 Samuel 21:10 mean?
Rizpah keeps a long vigil over the bodies, guarding them day and night from birds and beasts until the rains come.