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.
But the other woman said, 'No! The living child is my son, and the dead one is yours.' The first woman replied, 'No! The dead child is yours, and the living one is mine.' This is how they argued back and forth in front of the king.
The writer is showing us two mothers arguing before King Solomon, each claiming the living baby is hers and the dead baby belongs to the other woman.
📚 Historical Context
This scene takes place early in Solomon's reign when two prostitutes came to him with a dispute over a baby. One woman's child had died during the night, and she claimed the other woman had switched the babies while she slept. This case would become famous for demonstrating Solomon's God-given wisdom in finding the truth.
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