Aiah אַיָּה
Father of Rizpah, Saul's concubine
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, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”"
- 2 Samuel 21:8
"But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite."
- 2 Samuel 21:10
"Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night."
- 2 Samuel 21:11
"David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אַיָּה | H0345H |
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