1 Kings 3:16

1 Kings 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
• New International Version (NIV)Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now two women who were harlots came to the king, and stood before him.

Context of 1 Kings 3:16

14So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days.” 15Then Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. So he returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants. At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17One woman said, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was in the house. 18On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us.

1 Kings 3:16 word by word

אָ֣ז תָּבֹ֗אנָה שְׁתַּ֛יִם נָשִׁ֥ים זֹנ֖וֹת אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דְנָה לְפָנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

• At that timeאָז'âz · thenH227
• twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• prostitutesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• prostitutesזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• and stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• before himפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:16

• Leviticus 19:29You must not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be prostituted and filled with depravity.
• Deuteronomy 23:17No daughter or son of Israel is to be a shrine prostitute.
• Joshua 2:1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
• Judges 11:1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Then came there two women - harlots - The word זנות zonoth, which we here, and in some other places, improperly translate harlots, is by the Chaldee (the best judge in this case) rendered פונדקין pundekayan, tavern-keepers. (See on Joshua 2:1; (note)). If these had been harlots, it is not likely they would have dared to appear before Solomon; and if they had been common women, it is not likely they would have had children; nor is it likely that such…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-28Verses 16-28 An instance of Solomon's wisdom is given. Notice the difficulty of the case. To find out the true mother, he could not try which the child loved best, and therefore tried which loved the child best: the mother's sincerity will be tried, when the child is in danger. Let parents show their love to their children, especially by taking care of their souls, and snatching them as brands out of the burning. By this and other instances of the wisdom…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16prostitutes: The law condemned prostitution (Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 23:18), but it still existed in ancient Israel. These women were among the most looked down upon in Israelite society. However, Solomon showed kindness and fairness to them by treating them as mothers, not just as prostitutes.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Then came there two women--Eastern monarchs, who generally administer justice in person, at least in all cases of difficulty, often appeal to the principles of human nature when they are at a loss otherwise to find a clue to the truth or see clearly their way through a mass of conflicting testimony. The modern history of the East abounds with anecdotes of judicial cases, in which the decision given was the result of an experiment similar to this of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 3:16

• Arbitration
• Judge
• Rulers
• Solomon
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Affinity
• Divide
• Solomon
• Yearn
• Abishag
• Crime; Crimes
• Decision
• Israel, History of
• Judge
• King; Kingdom

Commentaries on 1 Kings 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings