1 Kings 3:26 kjv
Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
1 Kings 3:26 nkjv
Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, "O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!" But the other said, "Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him."
1 Kings 3:26 niv
The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"
1 Kings 3:26 esv
Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him."
1 Kings 3:26 nlt
Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, "Oh no, my lord! Give her the child ? please do not kill him!" But the other woman said, "All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!"
1 Kings 3 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 3:9 | "Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Your people..." | Solomon's prayer for wisdom, setting the stage. |
| 1 Kgs 3:12 | "behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been anyone like you..." | God's granting of wisdom. |
| Jer 31:20 | "Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a delightful child? For as often as I speak against him, I remember him still; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have compassion on him..." | Divine compassion mirrored in maternal love. |
| Isa 49:15 | "Can a woman forget her nursing child...even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." | God's unforgettable love, likened to a mother's. |
| Hos 11:8 | "How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel?...My heart is turned over within Me..." | God's deep anguish and compassion, similar to racham. |
| Ps 72:1-2 | "Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king's son. May he judge Your people with righteousness And Your afflicted with justice." | A king's responsibility for righteous judgment. |
| Prov 18:18 | "The lot puts an end to quarrels and decides between powerful contenders." | Need for definitive resolution in disputes. |
| Prov 28:13 | "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain compassion." | Truth being revealed and obtaining grace. |
| Prov 25:2 | "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter." | Kings using wisdom to discern hidden truths. |
| Heb 4:12-13 | "For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword...discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." | God's ultimate discernment of the heart. |
| Gen 43:30 | "Then Joseph hurried out because his compassion grew warm for his brother..." | Example of deep, emotional compassion (racham). |
| 1 Jn 3:18 | "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." | Love demonstrated by action, not just claim. |
| Jn 10:11-13 | "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand...cares nothing for the sheep." | True care (shepherd) vs. indifference (hired hand). |
| Tit 3:4-5 | "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done..." | God's mercy and compassion. |
| Mt 7:16 | "You will know them by their fruits." | Character revealed by action/response. |
| Php 2:1-2 | "...any compassion and sympathy...make my joy complete by being of the same mind..." | Importance of shared compassion. |
| Ja 3:17 | "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits..." | Description of true, godly wisdom. |
| 1 Co 2:14 | "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him..." | Contrast between worldly and spiritual discernment. |
| Ez 24:21 | "...I am about to profane My sanctuary...and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword." | A severe example where children are taken. |
| Mt 2:16 | "Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became furious, and sent and killed all the male children..." | Indifference to children's lives from an unrighteous ruler. |
| Is 66:13 | "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you..." | Divine comfort likened to a mother's embrace. |
| Mt 23:37 | "Jerusalem, Jerusalem...how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." | Christ's desire for protection and love. |
1 Kings 3 verses
1 Kings 3 26 Meaning
1 Kings 3:26 reveals the turning point in Solomon's judicial test. It portrays the immediate reaction of the two women to Solomon's radical decree to divide the living child. The true mother, overwhelmed by an instinctive, profound love and compassion for the child, pleads for the child's life even if it means giving him to the other woman. In stark contrast, the false claimant shows no such emotional attachment, instead endorsing the brutal division, thereby revealing her lack of a true maternal bond and indifferent heart. This moment serves as the core of Solomon's divinely granted wisdom in discerning truth.
1 Kings 3 26 Context
This verse is the climax of one of Solomon's most famous and pivotal judgments, immediately demonstrating the practical application of the divinely granted wisdom mentioned in 1 Kgs 3:4-15. Having just ascended the throne, Solomon had prayed for an "understanding heart" (Hebrew: lev shomea, a hearing or discerning heart) to govern his people justly. God had responded by granting him "a wise and discerning heart." The dispute between the two prostitutes over a living child and a dead one presented a unique legal and moral dilemma with no witnesses, offering an opportunity to display this wisdom. Solomon's provocative "divide the living child" decree was not meant to be carried out but served as a crucial test to uncover the true maternal instinct, bringing the inner truth to the surface. This single judgment solidified Solomon's reputation for divine wisdom throughout Israel and among surrounding nations, establishing his authority and God's favor upon his reign.
1 Kings 3 26 Word analysis
- Then the woman whose son was living: This highlights the immediate, direct action and the identity of the true claimant, signaling a shift in the narrative focus back to her from Solomon's shocking command. Her ownership is asserted as "whose son was living", setting the stage for the dramatic reveal.
- spoke to the king: Indicates her breaking silence, directly addressing Solomon in an appeal against his own command. It's a bold, desperate act fueled by intense emotion.
- for she was deeply moved: The Hebrew word is racham (רָחַם), which implies a deep, visceral, and profound compassion or pity. It is linked to the Hebrew word for "womb" (rechem), suggesting an intense, instinctive, motherly love and empathy that originates from the innermost being. It describes a protective, nurturing, and self-sacrificing affection. This emotion is the lynchpin of the test.
- over her son: Clarifies the object of her deep compassion – the child. This specifically ties her intense feeling to her biological and emotional connection as a mother.
- and said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death!”:
- “Oh, my lord”: A term of respect, but here it's also an urgent, pleading address.
- “give her the living child”: This is the heart of her sacrifice. She forfeits her claim to possession and even acknowledgment, prioritizing the child's life over her own right. Her willingness to give up the child reveals genuine love and selflessness.
- “and by no means put him to death!”: The Hebrew uses an emphatic double negative, lo'... yamuth (לֹא...יָמוּת), literally "not...he will die!" or "let him surely not die!" It conveys a powerful, desperate, and urgent plea, indicating that death is the one outcome she cannot bear. Her love cannot countenance the child's destruction.
- But the other said: A sharp, direct contrast in reaction and character to the true mother. "Other" immediately labels her as distinct and lacking the same connection.
- “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.”:
- “He shall be neither mine nor yours”: Reveals a stark lack of personal attachment or desire for the child's life. This statement signifies indifference to the child's welfare, willing to let him be destroyed rather than conceding.
- “divide him.”: Reiterates and fully endorses Solomon's initial, cruel suggestion. Her cold, unfeeling demand highlights her deceit and lack of maternal instinct, effectively confirming she is not the true mother. She values destruction over someone else's possession.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she was deeply moved over her son" vs. "But the other said": This stark juxtaposition sets up the dramatic reveal. The first woman is driven by profound internal emotion connected to her child, leading her to speak. The "other" woman speaks, but without any described emotional drive, suggesting an empty, calculating nature.
- "give her the living child, and by no means put him to death!" vs. "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.": This comparison provides the direct and conclusive evidence. The true mother's plea prioritizes the child's life above her own ownership, even advocating for her rival if it means preserving life. The false mother's response prioritizes no one owning the child if she cannot, endorsing death, revealing her absolute detachment and willingness for destruction.
1 Kings 3 26 Bonus section
The story, particularly this verse, serves as a timeless parable for discerning true ownership or commitment, not just in family disputes but also in spiritual or even leadership contexts. It illustrates that genuine connection, whether paternal, maternal, or spiritual, is characterized by a willingness to self-sacrifice for the well-being of the one claimed, rather than possessive destruction or indifference. This divine wisdom (often associated with Solomon) highlights that truth can be revealed not just through direct evidence, but through the intrinsic nature and deepest motivations of the human heart, made manifest under extreme pressure or temptation. The test itself creates a situation where the truth is forced to the surface by pitting love against indifference, exposing the character flaws and virtues within people.
1 Kings 3 26 Commentary
1 Kings 3:26 encapsulates the brilliant simplicity and profound insight of Solomon's judgment, serving as the first, powerful demonstration of the "wise and discerning heart" God granted him. Solomon's decree was not a literal command but a psychological test, designed to elicit an unfeigned, instinctive response from the mothers. The true mother's immediate, visceral "racham" (deep, womb-like compassion) for the child overrides her claim to ownership, compelling her to relinquish him to the other woman if it means saving his life. Her heart's agony at the prospect of the child's death exposes genuine, self-sacrificing love. In contrast, the false claimant's cold endorsement of the child's division, rather than compassion, proves her deceit and lack of a maternal bond. Her readiness to see the child destroyed rather than have another possess him exposes her lie and highlights the destructive nature of her pretense. Solomon, through this, did not merely decide a legal dispute but exposed the very character of the two women, revealing the divine wisdom at work. It highlights that true love prioritizes the beloved's well-being above personal possession.