Aiah אַיָּה
Father of Rizpah, Saul's concubine
Who is Aiah in the Bible?
Aiah was the father of Rizpah, a concubine of King Saul mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:7 and 2 Samuel 21:8-11. Rizpah bore two sons to Saul named Armoni and Mephibosheth, making Aiah the grandfather of these royal descendants. After Saul's death, Rizpah became involved in a political conflict when Abner, Saul's former military commander, took relations with her, which challenged the authority of Saul's surviving son Ish-bosheth. During King David's reign, Aiah's grandsons were among seven of Saul's descendants handed over to the Gibeonites to atone for Saul's bloodguilt, after which Rizpah famously kept vigil over their bodies. Though Aiah himself appears only briefly in the biblical record, his daughter's story illustrates the tragic consequences of Saul's sins and the maternal devotion displayed in one of Scripture's most poignant narratives.
Biography
Aiah is mentioned in the Bible as the father of Rizpah, a concubine of King Saul. Rizpah had two sons with Saul, named Armoni and Mephibosheth. (2Sa.21.8)
After Saul's death, Abner, the commander of Saul's army, had relations with Rizpah, which was considered a challenge to the authority of Saul's son and successor, Ish-bosheth. This led to a conflict between Abner and Ish-bosheth. (2Sa.3.7).
Later, during the reign of King David, a famine struck Israel for three years. The Lord revealed that it was due to Saul's bloodguilt against the Gibeonites. To make amends, David handed over seven of Saul's descendants, including Rizpah's two sons, to the Gibeonites, who killed them. (2Sa.21.1-9)
Rizpah then took sackcloth and spread it on a rock, guarding the bodies of her sons and the other five men from the beginning of harvest until the rains came. She protected them from scavenger birds during the day and wild animals at night. (2Sa.21.10)
When David heard about Rizpah's actions, he was moved and ordered the retrieval of the bones of Saul, Jonathan, and the seven men who had been killed. They were buried in the tomb of Saul's father, Kish, and after that, God answered the prayers for the land. (2Sa.21.11-14)
Aiah's daughter, Rizpah, demonstrated remarkable courage, loyalty, and maternal love in her actions, which ultimately led to the proper burial of Saul and his descendants.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book2 Samuel 4 verses
- 2 Samuel 3:7
"Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”"
- 2 Samuel 21:8
"But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite."
- 2 Samuel 21:10
"And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain from heaven poured down on the bodies, she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night."
- 2 Samuel 21:11
"When David was told what Saul’s concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, had done,"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אַיָּה |
Aiah
(2) Father of Rizpah, a concubine of Saul, about whom Ishbosheth falsely accused Abner (2Sa 3:7), and whose sons were hanged to appease the Gibeonites, whom Saul had wronged (2Sa 21:8-11).
a'-yath (`ayyath): Found in Isa 10:28; feminine form of the city AI (which see).
ad (chazaq, "to strengthen," "to