1 Kings 3:20

And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
arose	וַתָּקָם֩ va.ta.Kam	H6965	to rise (in various applications · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular
midnight	בְּת֨וֹךְ be.Tokh	H8432	a bisection · preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct
took	וַתִּקַּ֧ח va.ti.Kach	H3947	to take (in the widest variety of applications) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular
son	בְּנִ֣י be.Ni	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix
beside	מֵֽאֶצְלִ֗י me.'etz.Li	H681	a side · preposition + noun, common both genders singular construct + pronominal suffix
handmaid	וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙ va.'a.ma.te.Kha	H519	a maidservant or female slave · conjunction + noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 2nd person masculine singular
slept	יְשֵׁנָ֔ה ye.she.Nah	H3463	sleepy · adjective, feminine singular absolute
laid	וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵ֖הוּ va.tash.ki.Ve.hu	H7901	to lie down (for rest · conjunction + verb, hiphil sequential imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
bosom	בְּחֵיקָ֑הּ be.chei.Kah	H2436	the bosom (literally or figuratively) · preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person feminine singular
laid	הִשְׁכִּ֥יבָה hish.Ki.vah	H7901	to lie down (for rest · verb, hiphil perfect, 3rd person feminine singular
dead	הַמֵּ֖ת ha.Met	H4191	to die (literally or figuratively) · definite article + verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
child	בְּנָ֥הּ be.Nah	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person feminine singular
bosom	בְחֵיקִֽי ve.chei.Ki	H2436	the bosom (literally or figuratively) · preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Job 24:13-17 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Psalms 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 3:16–end

An instance is here given of Solomon's wisdom, to show that the grant lately made him had a real effect upon him. The proof is fetched, not from the mysteries of state and the policies of the council-board, though there no doubt he excelled, but from the trial and determination of a cause between party and party, which princes, though they devolve them upon their judges, must not think it below them to take cognizance of. Observe, I. The case opened, not by lawyers, but by the parties themselves, though they were women, which made it the easier to such a piercing eye as Solomon had to discern between right and wrong by their own showing. These two women were harlots, kept a public house, and…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 3:16

HIS JUDGMENT BETWEEN TWO HARLOTS. (Kg1 3:16-28) Then came there two women--Eastern monarchs, who generally administer justice in person, at least in all cases of difficulty, often appeal to the principles of human nature when they are at a loss otherwise to find a clue to the truth or see clearly their way through a mass of conflicting testimony. The modern history of the East abounds with anecdotes of judicial cases, in which the decision given was the result of an experiment similar to this of Solomon upon the natural feelings of the contending parties. Next: 1 Kings Chapter 4

Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 3:16

Then came there two women - harlots - The word זנות zonoth, which we here, and in some other places, improperly translate harlots, is by the Chaldee (the best judge in this case) rendered פונדקין pundekayan, tavern-keepers. (See on Jos 2:1 (note)). If these had been harlots, it is not likely they would have dared to appear before Solomon; and if they had been common women, it is not likely they would have had children; nor is it likely that such persons would have been permitted under the reign of David. Though there is no mention of their husbands, it is probable they might have been at this time in other parts, following their necessary occupations; and the settling the present business co…

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Dictionary and topics

Law of Moses — Is the whole body of the Mosaic legislation (1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 23:25; Ezra 3:2). It is called by way of eminence simply “the Law” (Heb. Torah, Deut. 1:5; 4:8, 44; 17:18, 19; 27:3, 8). As a written…
Solomon — Peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David’s second son by Bathsheba, i.e., the first after their legal marriage (2 Sam. 12). He was probably born about B.C. 1035 (1 Chr. 22:5; 29:1). He succeeded his father…
Courts Of Justice · Causes in, were opened by: The complainant — Causes in, were opened by: The complainant
Judge · Kings and other rulers as — Kings and other rulers as
Justice · Exemplified: Solomon — Exemplified: Solomon
Magistrates · Should: Judge wisely — Should: Judge wisely
Wisdom · Of — Of

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 Kings 3:20

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 3:16–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 3:16

Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 3:16

Dictionary and topics

1 Kings 3:20

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 3:16–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 3:16

Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 3:16

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 1 Kings 3:20

Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Kings 3:16-26

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Kings 3:16-28

Rashi on 1 Kings 3:15