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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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 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 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 (2)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 3:21 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 21:7 She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
- 1 Samuel 1:23 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 woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (6 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 3:21 And when I rose in the morning…
1Ki 3:21 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.
Ver. 21. To give my child suck.] This is a check to those nice dames that needlessly refuse to suckle their own children. Not harlots only, but "sea monsters draw out their breasts, and give suck to their young." {Lam 4:3}
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Behold, it was not my son.] Though death had somewhat altered the features of the child, yet the true mother could not be mistaken in it.
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.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And the other woman said,.... The defendant:
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:
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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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 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 21. behold it was dead] i.e. I had a…
21. behold it was dead] i.e. I had a dead child in my bosom which I supposed to be mine.
I had considered] The form of the verb implies a careful examination, a looking over and over, and noticing such marks on the child’s body as none but its mother would.
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in the morning] When the daylight was sufficient for me to examine the child carefully.
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 And when I rose in the morning (while it…
And when I rose in the morning (while it was still dusk) to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning (i.e., in broad daylight; Vulg. clara luce) behold (this second "behold" marks a second discovery) it was not my son which I did bear.
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 General Information:
General Information:
Two prostitutes continue to share their story with Solomon.
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nurse my child
This means to feed her baby milk from her breast.
before the king
"before Solomon" or "while Solomon could see and hear them"
translationWords
life
king
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.