2 Samuel 21:8

But the king tooke the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare vnto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the fiue sonnes of Michal the daughter of Saul, whome she brought vp for Adriel the sonne of Barzillai the Meholathite. 2 Samuel 21:8 (KJV)

The book of 2 Samuel is part of the historical books of the Old Testament, which records the history of Israel during the reign of King David. At this point in the narrative, David was reigning as king over Israel and Judah. The verse describes an event that took place during a period of famine in the land, which was seen as a result of Saul’s previous actions against the Gibeonites.

Context is essential for understanding the passage. Rizpah was a concubine of Saul, the first king of Israel. She bore two sons to Saul—Armoni and Mephibosheth. Although a concubine held a lower status than a wife, her children were still regarded as part of the royal lineage. Michal, another daughter of Saul and sister to Jonathan, was married to David. Their marriage faced significant challenges, and after David fled from Saul, Michal was given to Palti (also called Paltiel). The five sons of Michal mentioned in the verse were brought up for Adriel, the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. It is noteworthy that Merab, a different daughter of Saul, was the one actually married to Adriel.

The famine mentioned in the verse was understood as a divine response to Saul’s violation of the covenant made between Israel and the Gibeonites during Joshua’s time (see Joshua 9:3‑27). By violating that covenant, Saul brought guilt upon the nation. As the new king, David sought to make amends for Saul’s actions and to honor the covenant with the Gibeonites, which included ensuring justice for them. The taking of the sons of Rizpah and Michal was part of David’s effort to satisfy the Gibeonite demand for retribution, thereby ending the famine and restoring divine favor to the land.