1 Kings 3:16 kjv
Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
1 Kings 3:16 nkjv
Now two women who were harlots came to the king, and stood before him.
1 Kings 3:16 niv
Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
1 Kings 3:16 esv
Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
1 Kings 3:16 nlt
Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.
1 Kings 3 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 3:9 | "Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to govern your people..." | Solomon's prayer for wisdom. |
| 1 Kgs 3:12 | "behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you..." | God's promise of unparalleled wisdom. |
| 1 Kgs 3:28 | "And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king..." | The immediate effect of Solomon's judgment. |
| 1 Kgs 4:29-30 | "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure... for his wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the people of the East..." | Reinforcement of Solomon's vast wisdom. |
| Matt 12:42 | "The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon..." | Jesus affirms Solomon's legendary wisdom. |
| Deut 1:16-17 | "Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother..." | Mandate for judges to deliver impartial justice. |
| Prov 18:5 | "It is not good to show partiality to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice." | Warning against judicial bias. |
| Isa 11:3-4 | "He shall not judge by what his eyes see... but with righteousness he shall judge the poor..." | Messianic promise of righteous judgment. |
| Rom 13:3-4 | "For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad... for he is God's servant for your good." | The role of governing authorities in justice. |
| Prov 29:14 | "If a king judges the poor with equity, his throne will be established forever." | The blessing of righteous rule. |
| Gen 38:15 | "When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face." | Mention of "prostitute" in another context (Tamar). |
| Josh 2:1 | "And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, 'Go, view the land, especially Jericho.' So they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab..." | Example of a prostitute having a role in God's plan. |
| Lev 19:29 | "Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and become full of wickedness." | Divine prohibition against prostitution. |
| Matt 21:31-32 | "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." | Jesus' inclusivity and rebuke of self-righteousness. |
| 2 Sam 14:4 | "When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground..." | Similar instance of a woman appealing to the king (David). |
| Esth 5:2 | "And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight..." | Standing before the king for an appeal. |
| Ps 72:1-4 | "Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!" | A prayer for righteous kingship, emphasizing justice for the vulnerable. |
| Deut 17:8-9 | "If any case arises requiring you to judge between blood and blood... then you shall arise and go up to the place that the LORD your God will choose." | Addressing difficult legal cases referred to higher authority. |
| 2 Chr 19:8-11 | "Moreover, in Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests and heads of families in Israel, to give judgment for the LORD and to decide disputed cases." | Setting up judicial structures for resolving disputes. |
| Exod 22:21-22 | "You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child." | Divine command to protect the vulnerable. |
| Ps 82:3-4 | "Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy..." | God's expectation for those in judgment. |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" | Divine requirement for justice and righteousness. |
1 Kings 3 verses
1 Kings 3 16 Meaning
This verse initiates the biblical account of Solomon's first major judicial test, directly following God's bestowal of wisdom upon him. It describes two marginalized women, identified as prostitutes, presenting a complex and urgent dispute to King Solomon. Their act of approaching the king signifies his role as the ultimate arbiter of justice in Israel, accessible even to the lowest strata of society. This scenario immediately puts Solomon's divinely granted discerning heart into practical action, showcasing his capacity for righteous judgment.
1 Kings 3 16 Context
1 Kings chapter 3 opens with Solomon establishing his kingdom through alliances, notably marrying Pharaoh's daughter. However, the spiritual turning point of his early reign occurs at Gibeon where, instead of asking for riches, long life, or victory over enemies, he petitions God for "an understanding heart to govern [God's] people" (1 Kgs 3:9). God is pleased with this selfless request and grants him unparalleled wisdom, alongside promised riches and honor. Verse 16 serves as the immediate and first practical demonstration of this divinely given wisdom.
In the historical and cultural context of ancient Israel, the king was not only a political and military leader but also the supreme judge, entrusted with upholding divine justice. Law cases, especially those considered complex or unresolved by local elders, would eventually reach the king's court. The appearance of "two prostitutes" underscores several aspects: firstly, the accessibility of the king to all, even those marginalized by society; secondly, the vulnerability of women, particularly those without male protectors, often made them dependent on the justice system for resolution; and thirdly, it highlights the messy, everyday nature of disputes that even the most exalted ruler would face, showcasing God's wisdom applied to tangible human affairs, not merely grand statecraft. Their situation, being outsiders, devoid of normal societal protections, emphasized the absolute necessity of an impartial and discerning judge. This also implicitly shows the distinction between the true king of Israel (serving God's justice) and the often arbitrary rule of pagan kings.
1 Kings 3 16 Word Analysis
- Then: This temporal conjunction immediately links Solomon's receipt of wisdom (1 Kgs 3:12) to its practical application. It suggests divine providence, demonstrating that God's gift was given for a clear, immediate purpose. It indicates a swift transition from spiritual empowerment to earthly manifestation.
- two prostitutes:
- two (Hebrew: shtei - שְׁתֵּי): Emphasizes that this is a dispute between two parties, setting up a legal contest. The number two is significant in biblical testimony (Deut 19:15).
- prostitutes (Hebrew: zonot - זֹנוֹת, plural of zonah - זֹנָה): This term refers to harlots or women engaged in sexual immorality. Their social standing would have been very low, often on the fringes of society, devoid of the family structures that would typically offer protection or legal representation.
- Significance: Their appearance before the king highlights Solomon's broad accessibility as a judge and the impartiality expected of a divine institution. It implies that justice under God's appointed king was not limited to the respectable or the elite, but extended even to the outcast. It also sets up a stark contrast: a king known for his splendor and God's blessings, now facing a common, even sordid, dispute. This serves as an immediate test, far removed from abstract legal theory.
- came to the king: This implies a formal presentation and access to the highest court. For common individuals, let alone prostitutes, to have direct access to the monarch underscores Solomon's open court policy, potentially influenced by his prayer for a "discerning heart to govern" his people. It means they bypassed any lower courts or elders, perhaps because of the dispute's nature or their vulnerable status.
- and stood before him: (Hebrew: watatiqammədənah lifane ha-melek - וַתֵּיצַגְנָה לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ).
- watatiqammədənah: From the verb yatsag, "to place, set up, present oneself." It conveys a formal and intentional presentation of themselves, taking a posture suitable for a court proceeding. They were there to formally plead their case.
- lifane ha-melek: "before the king," emphasizes the official setting of the royal court. This phrase underscores the king's central role in the administration of justice and the gravity of the upcoming proceeding.
1 Kings 3 16 Bonus section
- The dramatic setting, with two marginalized women, amplifies the subsequent demonstration of wisdom, as it highlights that the most profound wisdom is applied not to grand theological debates but to deeply human, relatable, and often emotionally charged disputes.
- The story immediately contrasts Solomon's spiritual maturity and humble request with his access to royal power, emphasizing that his wisdom was divinely sourced and used for the good of all his people, embodying God's concern for justice and righteousness for everyone, especially the needy.
- The appearance of these specific women might subtly critique any prevailing social norms where such individuals might have been denied access to high courts or fair hearing. It implies Solomon’s readiness to hear any subject’s plea, a mark of ideal kingship.
1 Kings 3 16 Commentary
This verse serves as a crucial dramatic opening to the well-known account of Solomon's wisdom. After God had supernaturally gifted Solomon with an unparalleled "discerning heart" for governance, the narrative wastes no time in providing the very first, immediate, and arguably most impactful demonstration of this divine endowment. The specific parties involved—"two prostitutes"—are significant. Their marginalized status highlights that Solomon's wisdom, and indeed God's justice, extends to all members of society, regardless of their social standing or moral reputation. This detail might have been deliberately included by the author to magnify the impartiality and comprehensiveness of the justice administered by God's anointed king. The stage is perfectly set: a common, morally complex, yet vital human conflict is brought before a newly gifted, young monarch, ready for a judgment that will profoundly impact the perception of his reign and God's work through him. It is a powerful illustration that true wisdom manifests not just in theological pronouncements or grand policies, but in discerning truth and delivering equitable justice in the messy realities of everyday life, especially for those who are most vulnerable.