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1 Kings Chapter
Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 3
This
chapter relates the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoh's daughter
1 Kings 3:1; his
piety and devotion
1 Kings 3:2; his
prayer for wisdom and understanding
which was acceptable to God
who promised
to grant his request
with an addition to it
1 Kings 3:5; an
instance and proof of the wisdom given him in determining a case between two
harlots brought before him
which greatly raised his reputation
and gave him
reverence among his people
1 Kings 3:16.
1 Kings 3:1 Now
Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt
and married Pharaoh’s
daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished
building his own house
and the house of the Lord
and the wall
all around Jerusalem.
YLT
1And Solomon joineth in
marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt
and taketh the daughter of Pharaoh
and
bringeth her in unto the city of David
till he completeth to build his own
house
and the house of Jehovah
and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt
.... Pharaoh
was a common name of the kings of Egypt
of whom no mention is made in
Scripture from the times of Moses until this time; which may seem strange
when
it is considered that that kingdom was a potent one
and near the land of
Canaan; but it was governed by a race of kings in this period of time
of whom
as Diodorus SiculusF9Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 42. says
there is nothing
worthy of relation. The name of this Pharaoh
according to EupolemusF11Apud.
Euseb. Praeparet. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30
31
32.
an Heathen writer
was
Vaphres; for he says
that David contracted a friendship with this king
and he
relates some letters which passed between him and Solomon
concerning sending
him workmen for the building of the temple
which are still preserved; but
CalvisiusF12Chronolog. p. 191
192. thinks it was Sesostris; what
this affinity was is next observed:
and took Pharaoh's daughter: that is
married her;
who
according to Ben Gersom
was proselyted first to the Jewish religion;
which is very probable
or otherwise it can hardly be thought Solomon would
marry her; and as the forty fifth psalm
Psalm 45:1
and the
book of Canticles
supposed to be written on that occasion
seem to confirm; to
which may be added
that it does not appear she ever enticed or drew him into
idolatry; for
of all the idols his wives drew him into the worship of
no
mention is made of any Egyptian deities. The Jews sayF13T. Bab.
Sabbat
fol. 56. 2. & Sanhedrin
fol. 21. 2. Rome was built the same day
Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter
but without foundation: this was not
Solomon's first wife; he was married to Naamah the Ammonitess before he was
king
for he had Rehoboam by her a year before that for Solomon reigned only
forty years
and Rehoboam
who succeeded him
was forty one years of age when he
began to reign
1 Kings 11:41;
and brought her into the city of David; the fort of
Zion:
until he had made an end of building his own house: which was thirteen
years in building
and now seems to have been begun
1 Kings 7:1;
and the house of the Lord; the temple
which
according: to the Jewish chronologyF14Seder Olam Rabba
c. 15. p.
41.
was begun building before his marriage of Pharaoh's daughter
and was
seven years in building; and therefore this marriage must be in the fourth year
of his reign; for then he began to build the temple
1 Kings 6:37; and
so it must be
since Shimei lived three years in Jerusalem before he was put to
death
after which this marriage was
1 Kings 2:37;
and the wall of Jerusalem round about; all which he
built by raising a levy on the people
1 Kings 9:15; and
when these buildings were finished
he built a house for his wife
but in the
mean while she dwelt in the city of David.
1 Kings 3:2 2 Meanwhile the people
sacrificed at the high places
because there was no house built for the name of
the Lord
until those days.
YLT
2Only
the people are
sacrificing in high places
for there hath not been built a house for the name
of Jehovah till those days.
Only the people sacrificed in high places
.... On the
tops of their houses
on hills and mountains
and particularly at the high
place in Gibeon
where the tabernacle was:
because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until
those days; to which they were obliged to repair as afterwards
and there
offer their sacrifices
as the Lord had commanded
Deuteronomy 12:5.
1 Kings 3:3 3 And Solomon loved the Lord
walking in
the statutes of his father David
except that he sacrificed and burned incense
at the high places.
YLT
3And Solomon loveth Jehovah
to walk in the statutes of David his father -- only
in high places he is
sacrificing and making perfume –
And Solomon loved the Lord
.... The worship of the
Lord
as the Targum: and which he showed by
walking in the statutes of David his father; in which his
father walked
which were the statutes of the Lord
or which he exhorted him to
walk in
and were the same
1 Kings 2:3;
only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places; besides that
at Gibeon
which it seems David did not.
1 Kings 3:4 4 Now the king went to
Gibeon to sacrifice there
for that was the great high place: Solomon
offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
YLT
4and the king goeth to
Gibeon
to sacrifice there
for it [is] the great high place; a thousand
burnt-offerings cause to ascend doth Solomon on that altar.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there
.... About
four or five miles from Jerusalem; See Gill on 1 Kings 2:28;
for that was the great high place; not that the
place itself might be higher than others that were used; but here were the
tabernacle of Moses
and the altar; so that it was a more dignified place
and
more sacred because of them:
a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar; the brazen
altar of burnt offerings there; not at one time
but on several days
successively; though Jarchi says on one day; and which was a prodigious number
never was known the like
unless at the dedication of the temple
1 Kings 8:63.
1 Kings 3:5 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to
Solomon in a dream by night; and God said
“Ask! What shall I give you?”
YLT
5In Gibeon hath Jehovah
appeared unto Solomon
in a dream of the night
and God saith
`Ask -- what do
I give to thee?'
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night
.... This was
not a common natural dream
but an extraordinary
divine
and supernatural one
a prophetic dream
a night vision
such as God used to speak in to his
prophets; in which he had the full use of his reasoning powers
was under
divine impressions
and in a spiritual frame of mind
and in the exercise of
grace; it was not a mere dream that the Lord did appear to him
but he really
did appear to him while sleeping and dreaming
by some display of his glory in
some way or another:
and God said
ask what I shall give thee; he did not
hereby dream that God said to him
but he really did say this; bid him ask what
he would and it should be given him; he knew what he designed to give
but he
would have it asked of him
as he will be inquired of by all his people to do
that for them which he has intended and provided for them; and it is
encouragement enough for them to ask
since he has promised to give.
1 Kings 3:6 6 And Solomon said: “You
have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father
because he walked
before You in truth
in righteousness
and in uprightness of heart with You;
You have continued this great kindness for him
and You have given him a son to
sit on his throne
as it is this day.
YLT
6And Solomon saith
`Thou
hast done with Thy servant David my father great kindness
as he walked before
Thee in truth and in righteousness
and in uprightness of heart with Thee
and
Thou dost keep for him this great kindness
and dost give to him a son sitting
on his throne
as [at] this day.
And Solomon said
.... In his dream; not that he dreamt he
said
when he did not; but he really said
as follows:
thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy; bestowed many
favours and blessings upon him
both temporal and spiritual:
according as he walked before thee in truth
and in righteousness
and in uprightness of heart with thee; in the truth of doctrine
and worship
according to the revealed will and word of God
and which he
observed with great strictness
living soberly
righteously
and godly
though
not without failings and imperfections
yet with great integrity and sincerity;
and this holy walk of his was not the cause of God's showing mercy to him
nor
was it in proportion to that
but what he was influenced to by the mercy that
was shown him:
and thou hast kept for him this great kindness
that thou hast
given him a son to sit on his throne
as it is this day; a son to be
his successor
meaning himself; which was an additional favour to all the rest
and was in reserve
and now bestowed
as time had made to appear.
1 Kings 3:7 7 Now
O Lord my God
You
have made Your servant king instead of my father David
but I am a
little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
YLT
7And now
O Jehovah my God
Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I [am] a
little child
I do not know to go out and to come in;
And now
O Lord my God
thou hast made thy servant king instead of
David my father
.... Removed by death
in whose stead he reigned by the
appointment of God
and through his overruling providence
notwithstanding the
attempts made to prevent it
and therefore to God he ascribes it:
and I am but a little child; not in age and stature
but in knowledge and understanding; for though his father called him a wise
man
and he was judged so by others
and really was one
yet in his own opinion
and thought of himself such was his modesty and humility
that he was but a
child as to his intellectual powers and capacity for government: some
understand this of age; and the Jews commonly say he was but twelve years of
age when he was anointed king
which they reckon thus; that he was born at the
time that Ammon ravished Tamar
two years after which was Absalom's sheep
shearing
when he slew Amnon
on which he fled to Geshur
and was there three
years; here are five years; he returned thence and was at Jerusalem two years;
lo
seven years; he rebelled and was slain
and after that there was a famine
of three years
which make ten; and in the year following David numbered the
people
which was nine or ten months in doing; the next year he died
which was
the fortieth of his reign
in all twelve years; so reckon Jarchi and Kimchi;
and Eupolemus
an Heathen writerF14Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praeparat.
Evangel. l. 9. c. 30
31
32.)
is express for it
who says
that David
when
he had reigned forty years
delivered up the kingdom to Solomon his son
being
then twelve years of age
which he must receive from the tradition of the Jews;
the same is said by several of the ancient fathers
as IgnatiusF15Epist.
ad Magnesios
p. 141. Ed. Voss. and JeromF16Epist. Rufino &
Vitali
fol. 24
25. tom. 3. ; but this cannot be fact; for
if so
his son
Rehoboam must be born to him when he was but eleven years of age; See Gill on 1 Kings 3:5; it is
best therefore to interpret this of the sense he had of the weakness of his
understanding
and of his incapacity for government
as the next clause
explains it:
I know not how to go out or come in; in the
administration of government
to execute his office as a king
in allusion to
shepherds
as kings are sometimes called
going in and out before their sheep.
1 Kings 3:8 8 And Your servant is
in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen
a great people
too numerous
to be numbered or counted.
YLT
8and Thy servant [is] in the
midst of thy people
whom Thou hast chosen
a people numerous
that is not
numbered nor counted for multitude
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou
hast chosen
.... To be his special and peculiar people above all people on
the earth; this is not to be understood locally
though Jerusalem
where his
palace was
was in the middle of the land; but of the exercise of his office
he being placed over the people
and among them
and having the care and
inspection of them:
a great people
that cannot be numbered and counted for multitude; being for
number as the stars in the sky
and as the sand upon the seashore
as had been
promised.
1 Kings 3:9 9 Therefore give to Your
servant an understanding heart to judge Your people
that I may discern between
good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
YLT
9and Thou hast given to Thy
servant an understanding heart
to judge Thy people
to discern between good
and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart
to judge thy
people
.... Not an understanding of things spiritual
nor of things
natural
though both were given him
but of things political
what related to
the civil government
that he might be able to judge or rule the people of Israel
in the best manner:
that I may discern between good and bad; not merely
between moral good and evil
of which he had a discernment; but between right
and wrong in any case or controversy that came before him between man and man
that so he might be able to pass a right sentence
and do justice to every one:
for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? who are so
very numerous
and have so many causes to be heard and and those many of them
very intricate and difficult; so that no man is equal to such arduous work
unless he has more than an ordinary capacity given him by the Lord.
1 Kings 3:10 10 The speech pleased the
Lord
that Solomon had asked this thing.
YLT
10And the thing is good in
the eyes of the Lord
that Solomon hath asked this thing
And the speech pleased the Lord
that Solomon had asked this
thing. Understanding in the affairs of civil government; since he had
respect not to his own private benefit and advantage
but the good of the
people he governed
and the honour and glory of God
who had set him over them
they being his chosen people
and whose vicegerent he was.
1 Kings 3:11 11 Then God said to him:
“Because you have asked this thing
and have not asked long life for yourself
nor have asked riches for yourself
nor have asked the life of your enemies
but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice
YLT
11and God saith unto him
`Because that thou hast asked this thing
and hast not asked for thee many
days
nor asked for thee riches
nor asked the life of thine enemies
and hast
asked for thee discernment to understand judgment
And God said unto him
.... Being yet in a
dream:
because thou hast asked this thing; wisdom for government:
and hast not asked for thyself long life; which is
naturally desired by men
and always reckoned a great temporal blessing
and
especially to be wished for by a king living in great pomp and splendour:
neither hast asked riches for thyself; to support
his grandeur; for though David his father had left him much
yet not for
himself
but for the building of the temple:
nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; victory over
them
and to have it in his power to take away their lives when he pleased;
which kings
and especially tyrants
are desirous of
such as are ambitious
haughty
and revengeful:
but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; where the
right of a cause lay
that so he might make a right judgment of it
and pass a
righteous sentence
a sentence not to the injury of any.
1 Kings 3:12 12 behold
I have done
according to your words; see
I have given you a wise and understanding heart
so that there has not been anyone like you before you
nor shall any like you
arise after you.
YLT
12lo
I have done according
to thy words; lo
I have given to thee a heart
wise and understanding
that
like thee there hath not been before thee
and after thee there doth not arise
like thee;
Behold
I have done according to thy words
.... Expressed
in his request: he not only promised he would grant him it
but he had already
done it
or at least had begun to do it:
lo
I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; had greatly
increased his wisdom and understanding in things political
things respecting
civil government
and also in things natural
in the knowledge of the things of
nature as appears from 1 Kings 4:33; and
of the arts and sciences:
so that there was none like thee before thee
neither after thee
shall any arise like unto thee: which some restrain to kings
and to the
kings of Israel; that there were none of the kings before him
as Saul and
David
like him for wisdom
nor any of the kings of Judah and Israel after him;
but it may include all men of all nations in the world
since he is said to be
wiser than all men; and some other nations
and particular men of other
nations
famous for wisdom
are expressly mentioned as inferior to him
1 Kings 4:30; but
then this must be understood of men since the fall; for Adam
doubtless
had a
larger stock of knowledge and understanding in his state of innocence than ever
Solomon had; and it must be restrained to political and natural knowledge; for
as for divine knowledge
Kimchi excepts Moses; and we may well except the
apostles of Christ for spiritual and evangelical knowledge; and as for our
Lord
the antitype of Solomon
he is greater than him in all kind of knowledge
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him
see Matthew 12:42.
1 Kings 3:13 13 And I have also given you
what you have not asked: both riches and honor
so that there shall not be
anyone like you among the kings all your days.
YLT
13and also
that which thou
hast not asked I have given to thee
both riches and honour
that there hath
not been like thee a man among the kings all thy days;
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked
.... That is
intended to give him
and now promised it
and was about to bestow it on him:
both riches and honour; the former through the
presents and tribute of the nations about him
and his trading to foreign
parts; and the latter chiefly through his wisdom
the fame of which was spread
everywhere:
so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all
thy days; that is
none like him for riches and honour among all the kings
of the neighbouring nations so long as he lived; though there might be kings in
later times as rich
or richer than he
as Croesus
Alexander
&c. but then
not so honourable as he; so
putting both together
there were no kings like
him before or after
and especially if wisdom be added to them
as in 2 Chronicles 1:12.
1 Kings 3:14 14 So if you walk in My ways
to keep My statutes and My commandments
as your father David walked
then I
will lengthen your days.”
YLT
14and if thou dost walk in My
ways to keep My statutes
and My commands
as David thy father walked
then I
have prolonged thy days.'
And if thou wilt walk in my ways
.... Prescribed and
directed to in his word
to keep my statutes and my commandments; ceremonial
moral
and judicial:
as thy father David did walk; which Solomon himself
had observed
1 Kings 3:6; and
whose walk was worthy of his imitation:
then I will lengthen thy days; the other promises of
riches and honour are absolute
but this of long life conditional
depending
upon his holy walk and conversation; and hence
because he failed in this the
Jews observe he did not attain to long life
dying
as they suppose
at fifty
two years of age; which is grounded on a wrong hypothesis
that he was but
twelve years of age when he he began to reign
and he reigned forty years
as
before observed.
1 Kings 3:15 15 Then Solomon awoke; and
indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark
of the covenant of the Lord
offered up burnt offerings
offered peace offerings
and made a feast for all
his servants.
YLT
15And Solomon awaketh
and
lo
a dream; and he cometh in to Jerusalem
and standeth before the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah
and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings
and maketh
peace-offerings. And he maketh a banquet for all his servants
And Solomon awoke
and
behold
it was a dream
.... Not that
it was nothing but a dream
a natural one
a vain and empty one
but a divine
and supernatural one
a dream of prophecy
as the Jews call it
or a prophetic
dream; a true one
which had its fall accomplishment in him
the truth of which
he perceived as soon as he awoke; for he found himself possessed of such a
measure of wisdom and knowledge he never had before
which occasioned the
thanksgiving and joy next expressed:
and he came to Jerusalem; from Gibeon
accompanied
by his nobles and servants:
and stood before the ark of the covenant the Lord; which was in
a tent David had pitched for it there
2 Samuel 6:17; here
he stood with holy reverence
as in the presence of the Lord
and as a servant
of his
to minister to him
and as a worshipper of him
with a heart full of
gratitude for the great things he had done for him
and promised to him:
and offered up burnt offerings
and offered peace offerings; by way of
thankfulness for his quiet settlement in the for the Lord's appearance to him
at Gibeon
and what he had already given
and promised to give:
and made a feast to all his servants; in a way of
joy and gladness for the above layouts; this feast was either the part of the
peace offerings he offered
which belonged to the offerer to eat with his
friends
or this was a special feast made at his own palace for his courtiers.
1 Kings 3:16 16 Now two women who were
harlots came to the king
and stood before him.
YLT
16then come in do two women
harlots
unto the king
and stand before him
Then came there two women that were harlots unto the king
.... The same
day
as Abarbinel thinks
the night before which the Lord had appeared to
Solomon; this came to pass through the providence of God
that there should be
immediately an instance and proof of the wisdom and understanding the Lord had
given to Solomon; these women
according to the Targum
were victuallers or inn
keepers; and so Ben Gersom thinks they were sellers of food
as Rahab; though
he observes it is possible they might
prostitute themselves: this may be said
in their favour
that common prostitutes do not usually bear children
or
when
they do
take no care of them
have no affection for them
and much less are
fond of them
as these seem to be; but
on the other hand
no mention being
made of their husbands
and living together in one house
and alone
and being
impudent
brawling
and litigious
give great suspicion of the truth of the
character they bear in our version and others:
and stood before him; to lay their case before
him
and each plead their own cause; it may be
it had been tried in another
court before
and could not be determined
and so was brought to the king; and
if so
the wisdom of Solomon was the more conspicuous
in deciding it in the
manner he did.
1 Kings 3:17 17 And one woman said
“O my
lord
this woman and I dwell in the same house; and I gave birth while she was
in the house.
YLT
17and the one woman saith
`O
my lord
I and this woman are dwelling in one house
and I bring forth with
her
in the house;
And the one woman said
.... Who was the
plaintiff:
O my lord
I and this woman dwell in one house; pointing to
the defendant
who stood by her:
and I was delivered of a child with her in the house; she being
present at the delivery
and she only
as it should seem.
1 Kings 3:18 18 Then it happened
the
third day after I had given birth
that this woman also gave birth. And we were
together; no one was with us in the house
except the two of us in the
house.
YLT
18and it cometh to pass on
the third day of my bringing forth
that this woman also bringeth forth
and we
[are] together
there is no stranger with us in the house
save we two
in the
house.
And it came to pass
the third day after I was delivered
.... Of a
child
as before expressed:
that this woman was delivered also; of another child; and
being both of the same sex
both sons
as afterwards appears; and being so
nearly of an age
it was difficult to distinguish them;
and we were together; there was no stranger with us
in the house
save we two in the house; so that in this trial no
evidences could be produced on either side.
1 Kings 3:19 19 And this woman’s son died
in the night
because she lay on him.
YLT
19And the son of this woman
dieth at night
because she hath lain upon it
And this woman's child died in the night
.... Whether
the same night following the day it was born is not certain;
because she overlaid it; or laid upon it
being
heavy through sleep
and not knowing what she did
turned herself upon it
and
smothered it; because it had no previous illness
or any marks of any disease
it could be thought to die of
and perhaps there might be some of its being
overlaid.
1 Kings 3:20 20 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.
YLT
20and she riseth in the
middle of the night
and taketh my son from beside me -- and thy handmaid is
asleep -- and layeth it in her bosom
and her dead son she hath laid in my
bosom;
And she arose at midnight
.... Perceiving what she
had done
that she had overlaid her child
and it was dead; either through fear
of punishment inflicted on persons thus negligent
or because of the disgrace
of it
taking no more care of her child
she made use of the following
stratagem:
and took my son from beside me
while thine handmaid slept; this served
to puzzle the cause
for how could she know what she did when she was asleep?
this she could not prove
it was only conjecture:
and laid it in her bosom
and laid her dead child in my bosom; where she
found it in the morning; but still what proof was there that it was the other
woman's
and not her own
that lay dead in her bosom?
1 Kings 3:21 21 And when I rose in the
morning to nurse my son
there he was
dead. But when I had examined him in the
morning
indeed
he was not my son whom I had borne.”
YLT
21and I rise in the morning
to suckle my son
and lo
dead; and I consider concerning it in the morning
and lo
it was not my son whom I did bear.'
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck
.... As she
used to do:
behold
it was dead; her own child
as she
thought at first:
but when I had considered it in the morning; it was
towards morning
or just at break of day
when she arose to suckle it
and
found it dead: but when it was broad day
and the light of the morning was
increased
she more narrowly viewed it
and by its features
or some marks she
had observed;
behold
it was not my son which I did bear: she was fully
satisfied it was not her own child
but another.
1 Kings 3:22 22 Then the other woman said
“No! But the living one is my son
and the dead one is your son.”
And the first woman said
“No! But the dead one is your son
and the
living one is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king.
YLT
22And the other woman saith
`Nay
but my son [is] the living
and thy son the dead;' and this [one] saith
`Nay
but thy son [is] the dead
and my son the living.' And they speak before
the king.
And the other woman said
.... The defendant:
nay
but the living is my son
and the dead is thy
son; she denied what the other said
but offered nothing in proof of
it:
and this said; she who was the plaintiff replied in the
same language:
no: but the dead is thy son
and the living is my
son; without being able to add anything in confirmation of what she
had deposed:
thus they spake before the king; several times
over and
over again
what is before expressed
having nothing to produce on either side
in proof of their assertions; so that it was very difficult to determine to
whom the living child belonged.
1 Kings 3:23 23 And the king said
“The
one says
‘This is my son
who lives
and your son is the dead
one’; and the other says
‘No! But your son is the dead one
and my son is
the living one.’”
YLT
23And the king saith
`This
[one] saith
This [is] my son
the living
and thy son [is] the dead; and that
[one] saith
Nay
but thy son [is] the dead
and my son the living.'
Then said the king
.... As judge
summing up what had been said
on both sides
which were only bare assertions without proof; the one affirming
what the other denied
and the other denying what the other affirmed:
the one saith
this is my son that liveth
and thy son is
the dead;
and the other saith nay; but thy son is the dead
and my
son is the living; this he repeated to show to all present that no determination
could be made by what had been said on each side
and that some other method
must be taken.
1 Kings 3:24 24 Then the king said
“Bring
me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
YLT
24And the king saith
`Take
for me a sword;' and they bring the sword before the king
And the king said
bring me a sword
.... The design of which
might not at first appear to the court
and it might be thought strange
and
greatly wondered at: what should be the meaning of it:
and they brought a sword before the king; his commands
were obeyed.
1 Kings 3:25 25 And the king said
“Divide
the living child in two
and give half to one
and half to the other.”
YLT
25and the king saith
`Cut
the living child into two
and give the half to the one
and the half to the
other.'
And the king said
.... To one of his officers:
divide the living child in two; not that he meant it
should be actually done
though it might at first be thought he really intended
it
and so strike the minds of some with horror
as it did
however
the
mother; but he ordered this
to try the affections of the women
and thereby
come to the true knowledge of the affair; though
some think he knew it before
by their countenances and manner of speech
but that he was desirous all
present might see it
and be satisfied of it:
and give half to the one
and half to the other; since both
claimed it.
1 Kings 3:26 26 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.”
YLT
26And the woman whose son
[is] the living one saith unto the king (for her bowels yearned over her son)
yea
she saith
`O
my lord
give to her the living child
and put it not at
all to death;' and this [one] saith
`Let it be neither mine or thine -- cut
[it].'
Then spake the woman
whose the living child was
unto the
king
.... In haste
and with great vehemency
lest the executioner
should at once dispatch it:
(for her bowels yearned upon her son); not being
able to bear to see his life taken away:
and she said
O my lord: or
"on meF17בי "in me"
Montanus; so Abarbinel.
my
lord"; let the sin
the lie that I have told
be on me
and the punishment
of it; she rather chose to be reckoned a liar
and to endure any punishment
such an offence deserved
than that her child should be cut asunder:
give her the living child
and in no wise slay it; being willing
to part with her interest in it
rather than it should be put to death:
but the other said
let it be neither mine nor thine
but
divide it; for as she knew it was not her own
she had no affection for it
nor desire to have it; chose rather to be clear of the expense of keeping and
nursing it
and would
by its being put to death
be avenged of her adversary
who had brought this cause before the king.
1 Kings 3:27 27 So the king answered and
said
“Give the first woman the living child
and by no means kill him; she is
his mother.”
YLT
27And the king answereth and
saith
`Give ye to her the living child
and put it not at all to death; she
[is] its mother.'
Then the king answered and said
give her the living child
and in no wise slay it
.... That is
to her who
desired it might not be slain
but rather be given to her who had no right to
it:
she is the mother thereof; which might be strongly
concluded from her compassion for it
her eagerness and earnestness to have its
life spared
and from the indifference of the other
yea
from her cruelty and
barbarity in moving to have it divided.
1 Kings 3:28 28 And all Israel heard of
the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king
for they
saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
YLT
28And all Israel hear of the
judgment that the king hath judged
and fear because of the king
for they have
seen that the wisdom of God [is] in his heart
to do judgment.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged
.... In the
above case; the decision of it was divulged throughout the land
and the fame
of it was spread everywhere:
and they feared the king; reverenced him as a
wise
judicious
and faithful king
and feared to do anything of a criminal nature
as perceiving that he was so sagacious and penetrating
that he would discover
it quickly
and bring them to shame and punishment:
for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do
judgment; that God had put more than ordinary wisdom into him
to make a
right judgment in causes that came before him
and finish them in the most just
and equitable manner.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》