And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
1 KINGS 3:22KJVWhat does 1 Kings 3:22 mean?
1 Kings 3:22 shows two women arguing before King Solomon, each claiming that the living baby is her own and the dead baby belongs to the other. The verse captures their heated dispute as they both insist on being the true mother, speaking directly to the king.
This scene takes place in Solomon’s court, where he is asked to judge between two women living in the same house after one of their infants dies. The verse highlights the confusion and emotional intensity of the moment, setting the stage for Solomon’s famous wisdom in resolving the case.
The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 3:22
- The word for "living" (חַי, ḥay) means alive or living, emphasizing the central issue: which child is still alive and who is his real mother.
- The word for "dead" (מֵת, mēt) means dead, underlining the tragedy and the seriousness of the dispute.
- The word for "spake" (דָּבַר, dāvar) means to speak or talk, showing that this was a direct, verbal confrontation before the king, not just a quiet disagreement.
- The word for "before" (פָּנִים, pānîm) means face or presence, indicating that both women were physically present and speaking face-to-face with Solomon.
Why 1 Kings 3:22 matters
- The verse shows how difficult it was for Solomon to judge the case, since both women’s words sounded equally convincing and there were no witnesses.
- This moment sets up the test of wisdom that will follow, highlighting Solomon’s need for discernment rather than just listening to arguments.
- The verse draws attention to the emotional stakes for both women, helping the reader understand why Solomon’s solution is so memorable in the next verses.