Bible Strands

1 Kings 3:25

and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Solomon addresses his guards at the exact moment he requests a sword to adjudicate a disputed paternity claim between two women (1 Kings 3:24; 1 Kings 3:26). He issues a direct command to divide the living infant equally between the two claimants.

The words — The Hebrew verb גִּזְרוּ (giz.Ru) translates literally as “cut” or “divide,” while הַ/יֶּ֥לֶד הַ/חַ֖י (hai./Ye.led ha./Chai) specifies “the living child.” These terms anchor the decree in physical division rather than symbolic judgment.

The thread — The narrative aligns with the judicial caution in Proverbs 25:8 against bringing matters hastily to court. Solomon’s proposal operates as a diagnostic test to separate truth from deception.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to note how a harsh command exposes underlying motives through concrete reaction. The king’s strategy demonstrates that justice depends on observing protective instinct rather than accepting verbal claims.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he saidהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ kingגִּזְר֛וּgiz.Rucutאֶת־'et-<obj.>הַיֶּ֥לֶדhai./Ye.ledthe/ childהַחַ֖יha./Chai<the>/ livingלִשְׁנָ֑יִםli/sh.Na.yiminto/ twoוּתְנ֤וּu./te.Nuand/ giveאֶֽת־'et-<obj.>הַחֲצִי֙ha./cha.Tzi<the>/ halfלְאַחַ֔תle./'a.Chatto/ oneוְאֶֽת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַחֲצִ֖יha./cha.Tzi<the>/ halfלְאֶחָֽת׃le./'e.Chatto/ one

King James Version

And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

Cross-references