1Kings:3:16-28

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* Then two harlots came to the king , and stood before him . * The one woman said , "Oh , my lord , this woman and I dwell in the same house ; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house . * Then on the third day after I was delivered , this woman also gave birth ; and we were alone ; there was no one else with us in the house , only we two were in the house . * And this woman 's son died in the night , because she lay on it . * And she arose at midnight , and took my son from beside me , while your maidservant slept , and laid it in her bosom , and laid her dead son in my bosom . * When I rose in the morning to nurse my child , behold , it was dead ; but when I looked at it closely in the morning , behold , it was not the child that I had borne ." * But the other woman said , "No , the living child is mine , and the dead child is yours ." The first said , "No , the dead child is yours , and the living child is mine ." Thus they spoke before the king . * Then the king said , "The one says , `This is my son that is alive , and your son is dead '; and the other says , `No ; but your son is dead , and my son is the living one .'" * And the king said , "Bring me a sword ." So a sword was brought before the king . * And the king said , "Divide the living child in two , and give half to the one , and half to the other ." * Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king , because her heart yearned for her son , "Oh , my lord , give her the living child , and by no means slay it ." But the other said , "It shall be neither mine nor yours ; divide it ." * Then the king answered and said , "Give the living child to the first woman , and by no means slay it ; she is its mother ." * And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered ; and they stood in awe of the king , because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him , to render justice .

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