1Kings:3:16-28

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* Now two women who were harlots came to the king , and stood before him . * And one woman said , "O my lord , this woman and I dwell in the same house ; and I gave birth while she was in the house . * Then it happened , the third day after I had given birth , that this woman also gave birth . And we were together ; no one was with us in the house , except the two of us in the house . * And this woman 's son died in the night , because she lay on him . * So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side , while your maidservant slept , and laid him in her bosom , and laid her dead child in my bosom . * And when I rose in the morning to nurse my son , there he was , dead . But when I had examined him in the morning , indeed , he was not my son whom I had borne ." * Then the other woman said , "No ! But the living one is my son , and the dead one is your son ." And the first woman said , "No ! But the dead one is your son , and the living one is my son ." Thus they spoke before the king . * And the king said , "The one says , "This is my son , who lives , and your son is the dead one '; and the other says , "No ! But your son is the dead one , and my son is the living one .' * Then the king said , "Bring me a sword ." So they brought a sword before the king . * And the king said , "Divide the living child in two , and give half to one , and half to the other ." * Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king , for she yearned with compassion for her son ; and she said , "O my lord , give her the living child , and by no means kill him !" But the other said , "Let him be neither mine nor yours , but divide him ." * So the king answered and said , "Give the first woman the living child , and by no means kill him ; she is his mother ." * And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered ; and they feared the king , for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice .

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