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1 Kings / Question
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1 Kings
Two women each claimed to be the mother of the living child after one baby had died (1 Kings 3:16-22). Solomon ordered a sword and proposed dividing the living child, which revealed the true mother when one woman pleaded to give the baby to the other to save its life (1 Kings 3:24-26). Solomon awarded the child to the woman who showed that compassion (1 Kings 3:27).
16Then there came two women who were prostitutes, to the king, and stood before him.
17The one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18It happened the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also; and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.
19This woman`s child died in the night, because she lay on it.
20She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21When I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.
22The other woman said, No; but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. This said, No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
23Then said the king, The one says, This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead: and the other says, No; but your son is the dead, and my son is the living.
24The king said, Get me a sword. They brought a sword before the king.
25The king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26Then spoke the woman whose the living child was to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it.
27Then the king answered, Give her the living child, and in no way kill it: she is the mother of it.
28All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.