Bible Strands
1 Kings 3:23
Then the king replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king addresses two women who are disputing before him over the custody of a living infant. He speaks at the conclusion of their verbal exchange, summarizing their conflicting claims.
The words — The Hebrew phrase זֹאת אֹמֶרֶת (zot 'omeret, "this one is saying") introduces the first woman's assertion, while בְּנִי הַ/חַי (beni ha-chai, "my son [is] the living one") anchors her claim to the child's survival.
The thread — This verse captures the king's objective summary of conflicting testimonies, a necessary step before his proposed judicial test in 1 Kings 3:24. The pattern of a ruler weighing opposing maternal claims establishes the narrative framework for the forthcoming verdict.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that truth is not determined by volume or persistence but by discernment of the underlying reality. A reader must observe how the king's neutral restatement sets the stage for decisive action rather than emotional appeal.
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
Then said the king, 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.