1 Kings 3:27

Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she [is] the mother thereof.

Then the king {H4428} answered {H6030} and said {H559}, Give {H5414} her the living {H2416} child {H3205}, and in no wise {H4191} slay {H4191} it: she is the mother {H517} thereof.

Then the king answered, "Give the living child to the first woman, don't kill it, because she is its mother."

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.”

Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

Commentary

1 Kings 3:27 marks the pivotal moment in the famous "Judgment of Solomon," where King Solomon reveals profound wisdom in discerning the true mother of a disputed child. This verse delivers his final, decisive ruling after a clever psychological test.

Context

This verse is the climax of the narrative beginning in 1 Kings 3:16, where two harlots appear before King Solomon. They present a complex and tragic case: both lived in the same house, and each had a baby. One child died during the night, and the mother of the dead child secretly swapped it with the living child of the other woman. With no witnesses, King Solomon faced an impossible legal dilemma. His solution was to propose dividing the living child in two, knowing that only the true mother would react with genuine maternal love to prevent such a horrific act. This verse records his ultimate decision based on that powerful emotional response.

Key Themes

  • Maternal Love: The most profound theme is the undeniable power of a mother's love. The true mother's immediate and desperate plea to save the child, even if it meant giving it up to her rival, was the unmistakable sign of her genuine bond. Her willingness to sacrifice her claim for the child's life contrasted sharply with the false mother's indifference to its death.
  • Divine Wisdom and Discernment: This judgment is the quintessential demonstration of the extraordinary wisdom God granted Solomon, fulfilling the promise in 1 Kings 3:12. It wasn't mere intellectual knowledge but a deep, intuitive understanding of human nature and a divinely inspired ability to uncover truth where conventional methods failed. Solomon's insight went beyond legal precedent to the heart of the matter.
  • True Justice: Solomon's method ensured that justice was served, not merely by legal technicality, but by revealing the moral truth. His judgment brought clarity and ensured that the rightful mother received her child, establishing his reign as one marked by fairness and profound insight.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrasing "in no wise slay it" powerfully conveys the absolute prohibition and urgency of Solomon's command. It's a definitive, unyielding statement. The final declaration, "she [is] the mother thereof," is direct and conclusive, leaving no room for doubt. This simplicity and directness in the language reflect the clarity and finality of Solomon's divinely-inspired judgment, making the truth immediately evident to all present.

Practical Application

The story of Solomon's judgment continues to resonate today, offering timeless lessons:

  • Seeking True Wisdom: It underscores the importance of seeking wisdom, particularly a God-given wisdom that allows for discernment in complex, ambiguous situations. This wisdom goes beyond mere facts to understand underlying motives and truths.
  • Compassion and Empathy: Solomon's judgment was rooted in an understanding of deep human emotion. It highlights how empathy and an understanding of human nature can be crucial tools for resolving disputes and administering justice.
  • The Value of Life: Implicitly, the true mother's reaction emphasizes the profound value of life, showing that genuine love prioritizes the well-being and existence of the beloved above all else.
  • Leadership and Discernment: For leaders, it serves as a model of how to approach difficult decisions with creativity, insight, and a reliance on divine guidance to ensure just and righteous outcomes.
Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

No cross-references found.

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