1 Kings 3:16-28

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

¹⁶ Then there came two women that were harlots, to the king, and stood before him:

¹⁷ And one of them said: I beseech thee, my lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber.

¹⁸ And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two.

¹⁹ And this woman's child died in the night: for in her sleep she overlaid him.

²⁰ And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and laid her dead child in my bosom.

²¹ And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.

²² And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead, and mine is alive. On the contrary she said: Thou liest: for my child liveth, and thy child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king.

²³ Then said the king: The one saith, My child is alive, and thy child is dead. And the other answereth: Nay, but thy child is dead, and mine liveth.

²⁴ The king therefore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king,

²⁵ Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

²⁶ But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king, (for her bowels were moved upon her child,) I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said: Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

²⁷ The king answered, and said: Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof.

²⁸ And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.