1 Kings 3:26

1 Kings 3:26 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (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!”
• English Standard Version (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."
• New King James Version (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.”

Context of 1 Kings 3:26

24The king ordered, “Get me a sword!” So they placed a sword before the king. 25The king then said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other!” The real mother spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!” 27The king responded, “Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.” 28When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected the king, for they realized that he possessed supernatural wisdom to make judicial decisions.

1 Kings 3:26 word by word

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר הָאִשָּׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־בְּנָ֨הּ הַחַ֜י אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כִּֽי־נִכְמְר֣וּ רַחֲמֶיהָ֮ עַל־בְּנָהּ֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר׀ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֗י תְּנוּ־לָהּ֙ אֶת־הַיָּל֣וּד הַחַ֔י וְהָמֵ֖ת אַל־תְּמִיתֻ֑הוּ וְזֹ֣את אֹמֶ֗רֶת גַּם־לִ֥י גַם־לָ֛ךְ לֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה גְּזֹֽרוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• whose the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• childבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• for her bowelsרַחֲמִיםracham · compassionH7356
• yearnedכָּמַרkâmar · to grow warmH3648
• Oבִּיbîy · pleaseH994
• my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• childיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• and in no wiseמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• divideגָּזַרgâzar · to cutH1504

Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:26

• Genesis 43:30Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears. So he went to his room and wept there.
• Isaiah 49:15Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!
• Jeremiah 31:20Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the Lord, affirm it!
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart! All my tender compassions are aroused!
• Philippians 1:8For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
• Philippians 2:1Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy,
• 1 John 3:17But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?
• Psalms 39:3my anxiety intensified. As I thought about it, I became impatient. Finally I spoke these words:
• Romans 1:31senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless.
• 2 Timothy 3:3unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good,

Commentaries on 1 Kings 3:26

• 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. 16-28Solomon's decision about the true mother of the living baby shows his wisdom in legal matters. First Kings 4–10 show his wisdom in all parts of his rule.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 3:26

• Arbitration
• Bowels
• Judge
• Parents
• Rulers
• Solomon
• Tact
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Affinity
• Divide
• Solomon
• Yearn
• Abishag
• Decision
• Israel, History of
• Kings, Books of
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Queen of Sheba

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