New International VersionSo she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast.
New Living TranslationThen she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her.
English Standard VersionAnd she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast.
Berean Standard BibleSo she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom.
King James BibleAnd 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.
New King James VersionSo 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.
New American Standard BibleSo she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your servant was asleep, and she laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast.
NASB 1995“So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
NASB 1977“So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
Legacy Standard BibleSo she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
Amplified BibleSo she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from [his place] beside me while your maidservant was asleep, and laid him on her bosom, and laid her dead son on my bosom.
Christian Standard BibleShe got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while your servant was asleep. She laid him in her arms, and she put her dead son in my arms.
Holman Christian Standard BibleShe got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while your servant was asleep. She laid him at her breast, and she put her dead son in my arms.
American Standard VersionAnd she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
Contemporary English VersionThen while I was still asleep, she got up and took my son out of my bed. She put him in her bed, then she put her dead baby next to me.
English Revised VersionAnd 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.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationSo she got up during the night and took my son, who was beside me, while I was asleep. She held him in her arms. Then she laid her dead son in my arms.
Good News TranslationShe got up during the night, took my son from my side while I was asleep, and carried him to her bed; then she put the dead child in my bed.
International Standard VersionShe got up in the middle of the night, took my son from me while your servant was asleep, and laid him to her breast after laying her dead son next to me.
NET BibleShe got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your servant was sleeping. She put him in her arms, and put her dead son in my arms.
New Heart English BibleShe arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom.
World English BibleShe arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while your servant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand she rises in the middle of the night, and takes my son from beside me—and your handmaid is asleep—and lays him in her bosom, and she has laid her dead son in my bosom;
Young's Literal Translation and she riseth in the middle of the night, and taketh my son from beside me -- and thy handmaid is asleep -- and layeth it in her bosom, and her dead son she hath laid in my bosom;
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd she will rise in the middle of the night and take my son from beside me, and thy servant sleeping; and she will lay him in her bosom and her dead son she laid in my bosom. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and laid her dead child in my bosom.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd rising up in the silent depths of the night, she took my son from my side, while I, your handmaid, was sleeping, and she set him in her bosom. Then she placed her dead son in my bosom.
New American BibleSo in the middle of the night she got up and took my son from my side, as your servant was sleeping. Then she laid him in her bosom and laid her dead son in my bosom.
New Revised Standard VersionShe got up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your servant slept. She laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd she arose at the middle of the night, and she took my son from me, and your Maidservant was sleeping, and she laid him in her bosom, and she put her dead son in my bosom. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
Brenton Septuagint Translationand she arose in the middle of the night, and took my son from my arms, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Solomon Judges Wisely… 19During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on him. 20So she got upin the middleof the nightand tookmy sonfrom my sidewhileI was asleep.She laid himin her bosomand puther deadsonat my bosom.21The next morning, when I got up to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. But when I examined him, I realized that he was not the son I had borne.”…
Cross References Exodus 1:15-22Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, / “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.” / The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live. ...
2 Samuel 12:15-23After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. / David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. / The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them. ...
1 Kings 17:17-24Later, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill, and his sickness grew worse and worse, until no breath remained in him. / “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?” / But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. ...
2 Kings 4:32-37When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. / So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. / Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm. ...
Matthew 2:16-18When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. / Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: / “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Luke 7:11-15Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. / As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. / When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.” ...
Luke 8:49-56While He was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he told Jairus. “Do not bother the Teacher anymore.” / But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” / When He entered the house, He did not allow anyone to go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. ...
John 11:1-44At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. / (Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.) / So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.” ...
Acts 9:36-41In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity. / At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room. / Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.” ...
Genesis 21:1-7Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. / So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised. / And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him. ...
Genesis 30:1-2When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. / Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
Genesis 38:27-30When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her womb. / And as she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist. “This one came out first,” she announced. / But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez. ...
1 Samuel 1:19-20The next morning they got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then they returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. / So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
2 Samuel 6:23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
Job 1:18-19While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, / when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
Treasury of Scripture And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. midnight Job 24:13-17 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof… Psalm 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. took 1 Kings 3:21 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. Jump to Previous ArmsAsleepBosomBreastChildDeadHandmaidLaidMaidservantMiddleMidnightNightServantSideSleepingSleptJump to Next ArmsAsleepBosomBreastChildDeadHandmaidLaidMaidservantMiddleMidnightNightServantSideSleepingSlept1 Kings 3 1.Solomon marries Pharaoh's daughter2.High places being in use, Solomon sacrifices at Gibeon5.Solomon at Gibeon, in the choice which God gave him,10.preferring wisdom, obtains wisdom, riches, and honor16.Solomon's judgment makes him renownedSo she got up in the middle of the nightThis phrase highlights the setting of the event, occurring at night, a time often associated with vulnerability and deceit in biblical narratives. The darkness of night can symbolize the moral darkness of the act being committed. In biblical times, night was a time when people were most vulnerable, as there was no artificial lighting to provide security. This act of deception is reminiscent of other biblical stories where significant events occur at night, such as Jacob's wrestling with God ( Genesis 32:22-31). and took my son from my side while I was asleep.
The act of taking the child from the mother's side while she was asleep underscores the betrayal and violation of trust. Sleep is often used in the Bible to symbolize a state of unawareness or vulnerability, as seen in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). The mother’s vulnerability is exploited, reflecting the broader theme of innocence being taken advantage of by deceitful actions. This also echoes the story of Rachel and Leah, where deception occurs while one party is unaware (Genesis 29:23-25). She laid him in her bosom
The bosom is a place of intimacy and care, often used in Scripture to denote a close and nurturing relationship, as seen in the imagery of being in Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22-23). By placing the living child in her bosom, the woman attempts to claim a relationship and bond that is not rightfully hers. This act of deception is a perversion of the natural maternal bond, highlighting the depth of her deceit. and put her dead son at my bosom.
This final act of switching the children is the culmination of the deceit, symbolizing the exchange of life for death. The dead son represents the consequences of sin and deception, as death is often a result of sin in biblical theology (Romans 6:23). The switch also serves as a test of true motherhood, which Solomon later discerns through his wisdom. This narrative foreshadows the ultimate discernment and justice that will be perfectly fulfilled in Christ, who is the true judge and discerner of hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13). Persons / Places / Events 1. SolomonThe king of Israel known for his wisdom, who is approached by two women with a dispute over a living child. 2. Two WomenBoth are described as harlots, living in the same house, each having given birth to a son around the same time. 3. The Living ChildThe subject of the dispute between the two women, representing the true mother's claim. 4. The Dead ChildThe child who died during the night, leading to the switch and subsequent dispute. 5. The Royal CourtThe setting where King Solomon hears the case and makes his wise judgment. Teaching Points The Value of WisdomSolomon's ability to discern the truth in a complex situation highlights the importance of seeking God's wisdom in our own lives. The Sanctity of LifeThe account underscores the preciousness of life and the deep bond between a mother and her child. Truth and JusticeThe account illustrates the necessity of truthfulness and the pursuit of justice, even when the truth is difficult to discern. God's Sovereignty in Human AffairsSolomon's wise judgment reflects God's sovereign hand in guiding leaders to administer justice. The Role of DiscernmentBelievers are called to develop discernment, seeking God's guidance to navigate complex moral and ethical dilemmas. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of 1 Kings 3:20?
2.How does 1 Kings 3:20 illustrate the consequences of deceitful actions?
3.What can we learn about maternal instincts from 1 Kings 3:20?
4.How does 1 Kings 3:20 connect to the commandment against bearing false witness?
5.In what ways can we apply the lessons of 1 Kings 3:20 today?
6.How does the mother's action in 1 Kings 3:20 reflect human nature?
7.What does 1 Kings 3:20 reveal about the nature of human deceit and morality?
8.How does 1 Kings 3:20 challenge our understanding of justice and fairness?
9.What historical context is essential to fully grasp 1 Kings 3:20?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Kings 3?
11.How did Solomon resolve the dispute between two mothers?
12.What will happen to the righteous and the wicked?
13.What are the top 10 greatest miracles in the Bible?
14.Does the call to heed a father's instruction in Proverbs 4:1 ignore the possibility of flawed or harmful parental guidance?What Does 1 Kings 3:20 Mean So she got up in the middle of the night- Darkness is the ally of sin; by choosing night, the woman thinks she can hide what she is about to do (John 3:20;1 Thessalonians 5:7). - Scripture often places decisive, even destructive, moments in the night (Genesis 3:8;Exodus 12:29), reminding us that apart from God’s light, human hearts scheme in secrecy. - The verse opens with a deliberate, premeditated act, highlighting the depth of her desperation and the reality that sin is never an accident but a choice (James 1:14-15).
and took my son from my side while I was asleep.- Sleep is ordinarily God’s gift (Psalm 127:2), yet here it becomes the mother’s vulnerability; her guard is down, and evil seizes the moment (Matthew 13:25). - The theft of the child violates “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) and “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17). - The action underscores how sin preys on innocence and trust, foreshadowing Solomon’s need to expose hidden motives (Hebrews 4:13).
She laid him in her bosom- The bosom is the place of warmth, nurture, and intimate bond (Isaiah 40:11;1 Thessalonians 2:7). By placing the living child there, the woman attempts to cloak herself in a mother’s tenderness she no longer possesses. - This counterfeit affection pictures the broader human tendency to mimic righteousness while lacking its reality (2 Timothy 3:5). - It also prepares the stage for Solomon’s test: true maternal love cannot be faked when the child’s life is on the line (1 Kings 3:26).
and put her dead son at my bosom.- The switch is both cruel and symbolic: a lifeless child occupies the place designed for life, mirroringRomans 1:25—exchanging truth for a lie. - The mother awakens to death against her heart, a jarring picture of how sin’s wages break into peace without warning (Romans 6:23). - In God’s providence, this dark act becomes the catalyst for displaying the king’s God-given wisdom (1 Kings 3:9-12), proving that the Lord can turn evil schemes into platforms for truth.
summary1 Kings 3:20 portrays deliberate deception carried out under cover of night, exposing the lengths to which sin will go to satisfy selfish desire. The verse contrasts counterfeit motherhood with genuine maternal love and sets up the moment where Solomon’s wisdom—and God’s justice—will bring truth to light. Verse 20. - And she arose at midnight [rather, in the middle, i.e., dead of the night. The sleeper could not know it was 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 besom.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew So she got upוַתָּקָם֩(wat·tā·qām)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6965:To arise, stand up, standin the middleבְּת֨וֹךְ(bə·ṯō·wḵ)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432:A bisection, the centreof the nightהַלַּ֜יְלָה(hal·lay·lāh)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915:A twist, night, adversityand tookוַתִּקַּ֧ח(wat·tiq·qaḥ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3947:To takemy sonבְּנִ֣י(bə·nî)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121:A sonfrom my sideמֵֽאֶצְלִ֗י(mê·’eṣ·lî)Preposition-m | first person common singular
Strong's 681:A joining together, proximitywhileוַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙(wa·’ă·mā·ṯə·ḵā)Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 519:A maidservant, female slaveI was asleep.יְשֵׁנָ֔ה(yə·šê·nāh)Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 3463:SleepingShe laid himוַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵ֖הוּ(wat·taš·kî·ḇê·hū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7901:To lie downin her bosomבְּחֵיקָ֑הּ(bə·ḥê·qāh)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2436:The bosomand putהִשְׁכִּ֥יבָה(hiš·kî·ḇāh)Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7901:To lie downher deadהַמֵּ֖ת(ham·mêṯ)Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4191:To die, to killsonבְּנָ֥הּ(bə·nāh)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1121:A sonat my bosom.בְחֵיקִֽי׃(ḇə·ḥê·qî)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2436:The bosom
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OT History: 1 Kings 3:20 She arose at midnight and took my (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg) |
