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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.

Context of 1 Kings 3:16

14And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court. Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• there twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• harlotsזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• and stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:16

• Leviticus 19:29“ ‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.
• Deuteronomy 23:17No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute.
• Joshua 2:1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
• Judges 11:1Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.

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