Boy Old Testament Rare
Aiah
vulture, raven; an isle; alas, where is it?
אַיָּה ay.yah
Aiah (Hebrew: אַיָּה, ay.yah) means “vulture, raven; an isle; alas, where is it?”, by traditional interpretation. Two men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In 2025 it was given to 28 children in the United States. Use is rising. Appears with Adriel in 2 Samuel 21.
Which Aiah?
Two men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
-
Aiah
father of Rizpah
-
Aiah
descendant of Esau; sibling of Anah; son of Zibeon
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 6 across 3 books
- Bearers
- 2 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 28 | Rising |
| All-time total | 51 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 28 in 2025 | Its highest year on record |
| Ten-year trend | +461% | Change in share of births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 36:24 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 1:40 |
| Cross-references | 54 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Anah attested sibling Named in scripture as a sibling of Aiah.
- Rizpah co-occurrence Appears with Rizpah in 2 Samuel 21.
- Armoni co-occurrence Appears with Armoni in 2 Samuel 21.
- Mephibosheth co-occurrence Appears with Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 21.
- Barzillai co-occurrence Appears with Barzillai in 2 Samuel 21.
- Adriel co-occurrence Appears with Adriel in 2 Samuel 21.
- Meholathites co-occurrence Appears with Meholathites in 2 Samuel 21.
- Zibeon co-occurrence Appears with Zibeon in Genesis 36.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.3.7;
father of: Rizpah (H7532)
§ Aiah or Ajah = "falcon"
1) a Horite, son of Zibeon
2) father of Rizpah, Saul's concubine
Aiah was the father of Rizpah, who was a concubine of King Saul.
The biblical story
Aiah is mentioned in the Bible as the father of Rizpah, a concubine of King Saul. Rizpah had two sons with Saul, named Armoni and Mephibosheth. (2Sa.21.8)
After Saul's death, Abner, the commander of Saul's army, had relations with Rizpah, which was considered a challenge to the authority of Saul's son and successor, Ish-bosheth. This led to a conflict between Abner and Ish-bosheth. (2Sa.3.7).
Later, during the reign of King David, a famine struck Israel for three years. The Lord revealed that it was due to Saul's bloodguilt against the Gibeonites. To make amends, David handed over seven of Saul's descendants, including Rizpah's two sons, to the Gibeonites, who killed them. (2Sa.21.1-9)
Rizpah then took sackcloth and spread it on a rock, guarding the bodies of her sons and the other five men from the beginning of harvest until the rains came. She protected them from scavenger birds during the day and wild animals at night. (2Sa.21.10)
When David heard about Rizpah's actions, he was moved and ordered the retrieval of the bones of Saul, Jonathan, and the seven men who had been killed. They were buried in the tomb of Saul's father, Kish, and after that, God answered the prayers for the land. (2Sa.21.11-14)
Aiah's daughter, Rizpah, demonstrated remarkable courage, loyalty, and maternal love in her actions, which ultimately led to the proper burial of Saul and his descendants.
Key verses
Aiah appears in 4 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish–bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?
2 Samuel 3:7 -
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
2 Samuel 21:8 -
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
2 Samuel 21:10 -
And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
2 Samuel 21:11
Show all 4 references
2 Samuel (4)
- 2 Samuel 3:7
- 2 Samuel 21:8
- 2 Samuel 21:10
- 2 Samuel 21:11