Bible Strands
1 Kings 3:27
Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king addresses his officials after hearing the competing claims of two women over a living child. He delivers his verdict immediately following the second woman’s demand to divide the infant.
The words — The Hebrew imperative תְּנוּ (te.nu) commands “give,” paired with the participle הַ/חַי (ha./Chai) for “the living,” while וְ/הָמֵת (ve./ha.Met) reinforces the prohibition against killing the child.
The thread — This judgment concludes the dispute narrative in 1 Kings 3:26 and establishes the pattern for the people’s response in 1 Kings 3:28, where Solomon’s ruling demonstrates discernment to protect the innocent. The passage operates within the broader biblical theme of rulers administering justice through tested wisdom rather than arbitrary power.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to observe how a ruler’s willingness to prioritize preservation over punishment reveals the true identity of a parent. It demands that readers recognize wisdom as the mechanism that exposes deception and secures justice.
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 the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.