Bible Strands
1 Kings 3:18
On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — A woman addresses King Solomon while they reside in the same house, recounting events after the third day has passed since her initial delivery. She clarifies the timeline to establish that both births occurred within a short, isolated period.
The words — The phrase בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי (ba/yom ha/she.li.shi) translates to "on the third day," anchoring the narrative to a specific timeframe. The verb וַתֵּלֶד (va/te.led) means "and she gave birth," marking the second woman's delivery as a distinct event.
The thread — The verse establishes a tight chronological sequence of births and isolation that frames the subsequent dispute over child custody. This pattern of hidden actions and disputed parentage recurs in narratives where human judgment must uncover truth.
Why it lands — The text demands precise attention to timing and circumstance when evaluating competing claims. It asks a reader to verify facts against the recorded sequence before rendering any judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.