1 Kings 3:22

22 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 3:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 3:22

And the other woman said
The defendant: nay, but the living [is] my son, and the dead [is] thy son;
she denied what the other said, but offered nothing in proof of it: and this said;
she who was the plaintiff replied in the same language: no: but the dead [is] thy son, and the living [is] my son;
without being able to add anything in confirmation of what she had deposed: thus they spake before the king;
several times, over and over again, what is before expressed, having nothing to produce on either side in proof of their assertions; so that it was very difficult to determine to whom the living child belonged.

1 Kings 3:22 In-Context

20 And she arose at midnight , and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck , behold, it was dead : but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear .

22 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.

23 Then said the king, The one saith , This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead : and the other saith , Nay; but thy son is the dead , and my son is the living.

24 And the king said , Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.