A mother's fierce devotion to her fallen children has the power to awaken the conscience of an entire nation. What begins as a solitary vigil of grief transforms into a profound movement of national healing, justice, and ultimate atonement. The extraordinary kindness Rizpah showed by guarding the exposed bodies of the impaled men eventually reached the ears of the king [חומת אנך, רד״ק]. Her deep dedication stirred David's mercy, prompting him to look beyond the living and consider the dignity of the dead, specifically focusing on preserving the legacy of King Saul [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. According to one perspective, David was so deeply moved by her strength and character that he married her [רד״ק].
Inspired by her actions, David personally went to retrieve the remains of Saul and Jonathan from Jabesh-gilead so they could be laid to rest alongside the newly impaled men [אברבנאל, חומת אנך]. To ensure Saul received a proper final tribute, David commanded that the former king's coffin be carried throughout all the tribes of Israel. This allowed the entire nation to participate in a collective act of respect and kindness [אברבנאל].
The sight of the bodies left hanging for months, from the spring until the autumn rains, appeared to violate the strict biblical law against leaving a corpse unburied overnight. However, this was a deliberate decision meant to broadcast the gravity of their crime and to publicly sanctify the name of God [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Passersby who questioned this harsh display were told that these men were royalty, punished severely for harming converts. Witnessing that divine justice shows no favoritism and that even princes pay a heavy price for exploiting the vulnerable inspired widespread awe. This profound realization ultimately led one hundred and fifty thousand people to convert and join the nation of Israel [אברבנאל].
Furthermore, it was the will of God that the bodies remain exposed until the rains finally arrived. This served as clear proof to the people that the devastating drought had been a direct result of the injustice committed against the Gibeonites. The bodies remained in place until a light rain fell, signaling that the debt was settled and burial could proceed. Only after they were properly buried did the heavy, blessing-filled rains pour down, confirming that God had forgiven the people and answered the land [רד״ק, אברבנאל].
The final resting place of Saul carries a deep symbolic contrast to the future burial of David. Saul was buried in the family plot of his father, Kish, reflecting that his royal dynasty had been taken from him, returning him to the status of an ordinary citizen. In contrast, David would later be buried in Zion, the royal city. Because kingship was granted to David and his descendants forever, it would be unfitting for him to be buried as a private individual among his ancestors [אברבנאל].