1 Kings 3:24

24 The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword,

1 Kings 3:24 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 3:24

And the king said, bring me a sword
The design of which might not at first appear to the court, and it might be thought strange, and greatly wondered at: what should be the meaning of it: and they brought a sword before the king;
his commands were obeyed.

1 Kings 3:24 In-Context

22 “No,” said the other woman, “the living one is my son and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine.” So they argued before the king.

23 Then the king replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’”

24 The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword,

25 and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

26 Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!”