1 Kings 3:20

1 Kings 3:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
• New International Version (NIV)So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

Context of 1 Kings 3:20

18And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 22And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

1 Kings 3:20 word by word

וַתָּקָם֩ בְּת֨וֹךְ הַלַּ֜יְלָה וַתִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־בְּנִ֣י מֵֽאֶצְלִ֗י וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙ יְשֵׁנָ֔ה וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵ֖הוּ בְּחֵיקָ֑הּ וְאֶת־בְּנָ֥הּ הַמֵּ֖ת הִשְׁכִּ֥יבָה בְחֵיקִֽי׃Read the interlinear

• And she aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• at midnightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• at midnightתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• from besideאֵ֫צֶל'êtsel · besideH681
• me, while thine handmaidאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
• sleptיָשֵׁןyâshên · sleepingH3463
• and laidשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
• it in her bosomחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436
• her deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:20

• Job 24:13They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
• Psalms 139:11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
• Matthew 13:25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
• John 3:20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
• 1 Kings 3:21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 3:20

• 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 3:20

• Arbitration
• Judge
• Rulers
• Solomon
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Affinity
• Divide
• Solomon
• Yearn
• Abishag
• Decision
• Handmaid
• Israel, History of
• Kings, Books of
• Midnight

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