⁷ Now Saul had a concubine whose name was ^(A)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, ^(B)“Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?”

⁸ The king took the two sons of ^(A)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab^[a] the daughter of Saul, whom ^(B)she bore to ^(C)Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; ⁹ and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord, and the seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, ^(D)at the beginning of barley harvest.

^10 (E)Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell upon them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, or the beasts of the field by night. ¹¹ When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done,

²¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to ^(A)your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and ^(B)the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom ^(C)on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines ^(D)in the sight of all Israel.

²¹ She said, “Let ^(A)Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” ²² King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask ^(B)Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, ^(C)for he is my older brother, and on his side ^(D)are Abiathar^[a] the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.”

¹⁷ And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me ^(A)Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

⁸ And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.