How does this verse connect with the commandment to honor your father and mother? The verse in context “Now it was reported to David what Saul’s concubine Rizpah daughter of Aiah had done.” (2 Samuel 21:11) What Rizpah did • Guarded the exposed bodies of her two sons—along with the other five sons of Saul—day and night. • Fended off birds and beasts for months “from the beginning of the harvest until the rain poured down from heaven” (v. 10). • Acted as a mother refusing to allow disgrace to rest on her children or on the household of Saul. David’s response • On hearing of Rizpah’s vigil, David collected the bones of Saul and Jonathan (vv. 12–13) and the seven executed sons. • Buried them honorably “in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish” (v. 14). • By giving Saul (his king and father-in-law) and Jonathan (his covenant friend) proper burial, David upheld family dignity and national memory. Echoes of the fifth commandment Honor your father and your mother—Exodus 20:12. • Burial was a central act of honor in Israel; letting a body hang overnight was forbidden (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). • Rizpah honored her sons, and David honored Saul’s household—fulfilling the heart of the command to preserve family respect. • The commandment’s scope includes parents, elders, ancestors, and, by extension, all rightful authorities (Leviticus 19:32; 1 Peter 2:17). Ripples throughout Scripture • Joseph honored Jacob with an elaborate burial (Genesis 50:1-14). • Jesus rebuked traditions that let people neglect parents (Matthew 15:4-6). • Paul calls “Honor your father and mother” “the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2). • Proverbs 23:22—“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Lessons for today • Protect family dignity—speak well of parents, guard their reputation. • Provide practical care—time, resources, and emotional support as they age. • Give honorable closure—funerals, memorials, and respectful remembrance. • Follow Rizpah’s perseverance—honor sometimes requires long, costly faithfulness. • Follow David’s initiative—when informed of dishonor, act decisively to restore respect. |
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