The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house. The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house. This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it. She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.”
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1 Kings 3:17-21 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him. The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house. The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house. This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it. She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.”
Parallel Translations
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The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.
The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house.
This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.
She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.”
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And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
And 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.
And 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.
And 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.
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And the one woman said: 'Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
And it came to pass the third day after 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.
And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlay it.
And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked well at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I did bear.'
Cross-references (6)
- John 3:20 (v20) For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
- Matthew 13:25 (v20) but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.
- Job 24:13-17 (v20) “These are of those who rebel against the light. They don’t know its ways, nor stay in its paths. The murderer rises with the light. He…
- Psalms 139:11 (v20) If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”
- Genesis 21:7 (v21) She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Show all 6 cross-references
- 1 Samuel 1:23 (v21) Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish his word.” So the…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (11 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v20 She stole the quick child away, because she might…
She stole the quick child away, because she might both avoid the shame and punishment.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv17–21 1Ki 3:17 And the one woman said, O my…
1Ki 3:17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
Ver. 17. I and this woman dwell in one house.] They lived together, but scarce dwelt together, as one saith of married couples that disagree, quorum coniugium nihil aliud est quam coniurgium.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv18–20 The third day; so they could not be distinguished…
The third day; so they could not be distinguished by their age.
There was no stranger with us in the house; therefore no witness on either side; and although there might be some sensible difference to an exact observer between the features of the two children, yet it is not probable that was much minded by the neighbours; for though civil women might assist them both in their child-births, yet it is not likely they would afterwards converse much with them, as being persons of suspected fame, and the features of the children, especially for so few days, might easily be so like, that it was difficult to discern the one from the other. And the testimonies of the women were of equal credit, i.e. of none at all.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv17–21 And it came to pass, the third day after…
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;
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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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v19 Overlaid it - And so smothered it: which she…
Overlaid it - And so smothered it: which she justly conjectures, because there were evidences of that kind of death, but no appearance of any other cause thereof.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v18 1Ki 3:18-22. On the third day — this woman…
1Ki 3:18-22. On the third day — this woman was delivered also — So that the children could not be distinguished by their age. No stranger was with us in the house — Therefore there was no witness on either side; and although there might be some difference distinguishable by an exact observer between the features of the two children, yet it is not probable that was much attended to by the neighbours who might be present to assist either or both of them in their labour; as they were persons, it seems, of suspected fame. And the testimonies of the women were of equal credit, that is, of no credit at all. Because she overlaid it — And so smothered it: which she justly conjectures, because there were evidences of that kind of death, but no appearance of any other cause thereof. Thus they spake before the king — Both peremptorily and vehemently affirmed the same thing; oft repeating the same words.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v19 Him. This she suspected to be the case. They…
Him. This she suspected to be the case. They did not then place infants in the cradle, but let them sleep in their bosoms. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v21 21. When I had considered it in the morning…
21. When I had considered it in the morning — Here is a graphic word-picture. The true mother, with all the alarm and earnestness of a smitten heart, looks at the dead child again and again, and turns it over, scrutinizing every feature, and lo, it is not hers!
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv17–21 17. I was delivered of a child with her]…
17. I was delivered of a child with her] In the narrative of Josephus the two children are said to have been born at the same hour of the same day. The LXX. renders ‘we were delivered of children in the house,’ making ‘with her’ equivalent to ‘I as well as she.’
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv17–21 And the one woman said, O my lord, I…
And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv18, 21 General Information:
General Information:
The two prostitutes tell Solomon their story.
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lay on him
It may be helpful to state that this caused the baby to die. AT: "accidentally rolled on top of her baby and smothered him" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
your servant
The woman speaks as if she were speaking of someone else to show that she respects Solomon. AT: "I" (See: Pronouns)
translationWords
son
die
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.