14 day plan

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Day 9 of 14

NIV

2 Samuel 21:9-14

9He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.

10Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night. 11When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) 13David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

14They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Reflection: A Nightmare of Lament

This passage comes as three years of famine in Israel alerts King David to God’s displeasure. Why was Israel being punished? Because David’s predecessor, King Saul, had dishonoured a pact with neighbouring Gibea. How can I make it up to you? asks David. Make Saul’s family pay. is their measured response. Give us seven [that special number] of his male descendants to publicly humiliate and hang. Accordingly, David handed over seven of Saul’s descendants, two of whom were sons of his concubine, Rizpah.

This account may seem extreme, but public execution was not an uncommon punishment. However, by law*, bodies were to be removed and buried before evening. These seven sacrificial bodies were different. They were hung not for their own crimes but on behalf of a nation. Public humiliation for a public violation. Exposed before a just God who honours promises and requires blood for blood … After that, God answered prayer on behalf of the land. The story could have ended there. Lesson learned.

But caught in the crossfire, huddled on that hill under a rock-sackcloth lean-to, is Rizpah.

Rizpah: there’s not a rawer and more public picture of lament. I’m struggling for words. Bereft, disgraced, powerless…and crazed. Silent vigil this was not, as, day and night she warded off bird and beast; warded off the ignominy of loved ones as animal pickings. That was the best she could do.

Picture the hideous hopelessness. Listen to the taunts; the raucous birds and Rizpah’s frenzied screams. Lick dry lips and taste the tears. Interminable days and sleepless nights… Sometimes we have to just sit with the ghastliness of grief. Languish with anguish.

Sometimes we can do something with suffering. Rizpah couldn’t have retaliated even if she’d wanted to. But her private and public lament did have the power to convict.

Prayer:

We can hardly hear this story and not think of your mother’s grief, Lord Jesus. Her shame and shattered dreams. Innocent son dishonoured and dead…and for what? (I wonder, did she think of this story in her anguish?)  The taunts, anguish and confusion of onlookers at Golgotha. Sometimes we have to just sit with the ghastliness of grief.

But sometimes something can be done with it. Your suffering has, for all the world, the power not just to convict, but to transform! Risen Christ, mercifully minister to millions of suffering people today, with a sense of comfort, and opportunity to hope in life eternal where there’ll be no more tears, injustice and death.

*Deuteronomy 21:22-23

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

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2 Samuel 21:1-22

The Gibeonites Avenged

1During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

2The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”

4The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”

“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.

5They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen one.”

So the king said, “I will give them to you.”

7The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.

10Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night. 11When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) 13David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

14They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Wars Against the Philistines

15Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”

18In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

19In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.

20In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him.

22These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.