The Expression of Grief Sadness and Yet Love

There was a famine during David’s kingdom and it lasted three years. He asked God the reason, and God told him it was because of Saul.

To end the famine, God said go ask the Gibeonites what he should do. The Gibeonites required of Israel, the heads of the sons of Saul. David was shocked, but had to sacrifice the sons of Saul in order to stop the famine plaguing his kingdom.

David allowed his nephew, the son of his good friend Jonathan, to live because of his covenant with Jonathan. The family of Saul’s house were appalled and shocked also; literally months and years had passed since the days of Saul and Jonathan, and this comes about.

David took two of the sons of one woman named Rizpah, she was a concubine to Saul, and five other sons from Saul’s house.

Rizpah was so bothered by the events that she took a sackcloth and covered the bodies of her two sons (who were hung) and kept watch from the spring season to the fall season. The rain fell on them, but she wouldn’t allow the birds and animals to take their bodies apart.

Grief and sadness and love!

When David heard this, he went and gathered the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and the seven men who were hanged (as well as Rizpah’s two sons), and gave them a proper burial and ceremony in Saul’s father’s compound. God then discontinued the famine.

This wasn’t the end for David, a war broke out between Israel and the Philistines, and Israel learned David did not need to go out to battle any more because he wasn’t his youthful warrior self.

They wanted him to focus on his kingly duties. Israel defeated the Philistines.

Peace and blessings.

Peace from our Lord and grace of God to you in Jesus name