Note that Good News Translation reminds the reader that Rizpah had been the concubine of Saul. This information is given indirectly in verse 8 and earlier in 3.7. It is also provided in verse 11, but it is vitally important to the story, and for this reason it should probably be brought to the attention of the reader at this point by shifting it forward from the following verse. Bible en français courant identifies Rizpah by saying “Rizpah, widow of Saul.”
Sackcloth: this was a coarse kind of cloth made from the hair of goats or camels and was normally used to make sacks for wheat and barley. But people who were experiencing grief (usually over the death of a loved one) often wore this rough cloth like clothing to show their sadness. New Century Version translates “the rough cloth that was worn to show sadness.” In this case Rizpah used this uncomfortable cloth to make a covering for herself as she watched over the bodies of her loved ones. However, the very mention of sackcloth in the context of the death of relatives made people think of mourning. Compare 3.31 and Gen 37.34.
Spread it for herself: this may mean either that she spread it out underneath her so that she used it as something to lie down on top of, or that she spread it above her head to form a kind of covering. Given the strong sun during the period from May to September, it is very likely that a covering over her head was needed (so Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Although the Hebrew says only the rock, Good News Translation and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente add the implicit information “where the corpses were,” and this addition may be helpful in other languages also.
Until rain fell: this provides a time reference for the end of the period of Rizpah’s vigil. Following the harvest there was usually dry weather in Israel until September or October, when the rainy season started anew. This meant to the original readers that Rizpah kept her watch over the bodies of her loved ones for perhaps nearly six months. This information should probably be provided for modern readers either through a footnote or possibly by adding “for about six months” in the translation itself. Some common language translations refer to this as the “autumn rains” (Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). However, some scholars find it more likely that this refers to an unusual late spring or summer rain that ended the drought and famine mentioned in verse 1 (McCarter and Hertzberg).
The pronoun used twice in the expression upon them refers to the dead bodies of Rizpah’s sons who had been killed. Some translators may prefer the more meaningful model of New Century Version, “on her sons’ bodies,” or at least “the bodies” (Contemporary English Version).
The expressions birds of the air and beasts of the field are literal renderings of common Hebrew expressions that may sound redundant in many languages. It will be much more natural in many cases to say simply “birds” and “wild animals,” as several modern versions do.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .