Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

1 KINGS 3:26KJV
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1 Kings 3:26 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 3:26 mean?

1 Kings 3:26 describes how the real mother of a living child, moved by deep compassion, begs King Solomon to give the baby to the other woman rather than see him killed. The other woman, not the child’s mother, agrees to have the child divided, showing she does not share the same motherly love.

In this scene, two women are standing before King Solomon, each claiming to be the mother of a surviving infant. The verse highlights the true mother’s selfless love, as her “bowels yearned” (felt deep compassion) for her son, leading her to plead for his life even if it meant losing him. The other woman’s response reveals her lack of genuine care, helping Solomon discern the real mother.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 3:26

  • בְּרַחֲמֶיהָ (rachamim, “bowels”): This word refers to deep, gut-level compassion or mercy, often associated with a mother’s feelings for her child. The verse uses it to show the intensity of the real mother’s love.
  • נִכְמְרוּ (nikmeru, “yearned”): This verb means to be deeply moved or stirred with emotion. It emphasizes how powerfully the mother was affected by the threat to her child.
  • חַי (chai, “living”): This word for “living” is used to distinguish the surviving child from the one who died, focusing the conflict on the value of the child’s life.

Why 1 Kings 3:26 matters

  • The verse makes clear that true parental love is shown by self-sacrifice, not by claiming rights or winning arguments.
  • The emotional language (“bowels yearned”) helps readers understand the depth of the mother’s feelings, not just her actions.
  • This moment is central to the story, setting up Solomon’s famous wisdom in judging who the real mother is, and showing how true love reveals itself in crisis.