Add parallel Print Page Options

26 The real mother[a] spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were awakened.[b] She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!”[c] But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him. Let them cut him in two!” 27 The king responded, “Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.” 28 When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected[d] the king, for they realized[e] that he possessed divine wisdom[f] to make judicial decisions.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 3:26 tn Heb “the woman whose son was alive.”
  2. 1 Kings 3:26 tn Heb “for her compassions grew warm for her son.”
  3. 1 Kings 3:26 tn The infinitive absolute before the negated jussive emphasizes the main verb.
  4. 1 Kings 3:28 tn Heb “feared,” perhaps in the sense, “stood in awe of.”
  5. 1 Kings 3:28 tn Heb “saw.”
  6. 1 Kings 3:28 tn Heb “the wisdom of God was in his midst for performing justice.” The phrase “wisdom of God” may be taken as an attributive genitive, “divine wisdom,” or as a genitive of source, “wisdom from God.” Even in English they are basically the same, since wisdom from God is divine in character.