1 Kings 3 · Verse 16

1 Kings 3:16

Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
1 Kings 3:16, King James Version

1 Kings 3:16 in other translations

BSBAt that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
WEBThen two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.
ASVThen there came two women that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
YLTthen come in do two women, harlots, unto the king, and stand before him,
DARBYThen came two women, harlots, to the king, and stood before him.
BBEThen two loose women of the town came and took their places before the king;
WebsterThen came there two women, that were harlots, to the king, and stood before him.

What does 1 Kings 3:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Then came there two women--Eastern monarchs, who generally administer justice in person, at least in all cases of difficulty, often appeal to the principles of human nature when they are at a loss otherwise to find a clue to the truth or see clearly their way through a mass of conflicting testimony. The modern history of the East abounds with anecdotes of judicial cases, in which the decision given was the result of an experiment similar to this of Solomon upon the natural feelings of the contending parties.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Then came there two women - harlots - The word זנות zonoth, which we here, and in some other places, improperly translate harlots, is by the Chaldee (the best judge in this case) rendered פונדקין pundekayan, tavern-keepers. (See on Jos 2:1 (note)). If these had been harlots, it is not likely they would have dared to appear before Solomon; and if they had been common women, it is not likely they would have had children; nor is it likely that such persons would have been permitted under the reign of David. Though there is no mention of their husbands, it is probable they might have been at this time in other parts, following their necessary occupations; and the settling the present business could not have been delayed till their return; the appeal to justice must be made immediately.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 3:16-28
An instance of Solomon's wisdom is given. Notice the difficulty of the case. To find out the true mother, he could not try which the child loved best, and therefore tried which loved the child best: the mother's sincerity will be tried, when the child is in danger. Let parents show their love to their children, especially by taking care of their souls, and snatching them as brands out of the burning. By this and other instances of the wisdom with which God endued him, Solomon had great reputation among his people. This was better to him than weapons of war; for this he was both feared and loved.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Kings 3:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָ֣ז'azthenH227
תָּבֹ֗אנָהta.Vo.nahthey cameH935
שְׁתַּ֛יִםshe.Ta.yimtwoH8147
נָשִׁ֥יםna.ShimwomenH802
זֹנ֖וֹתzo.NotprostitutesH2181
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דְנָהva.ta.'a.Mo.de.nahand they stoodH5975
לְפָנָֽיו\׃le.fa.Nav<to> before himH6440

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 3:16

  • Exodus 18:16

    When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

  • Judges 11:1

    Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

  • Leviticus 19:29

    Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

  • Joshua 2:1

    And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

  • Numbers 27:2

    And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

  • Deuteronomy 23:17

    There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
two women.
Le 19:29; De 23:17; Jos 2:1
harlots.The word {zanoth,} rendered harlots, is here translated by the Targumist, the best judge in this case, {pundekon,} "tavern-keepers:" see on Jos 2:1.
Jud 11:1Had these women been harlots, it is not likely that they would have dared to appear before Solomon; nor is it likely that such persons would have been permitted in the reign of David. Their husbands might at this time have been following their necessary occupations in distant parts.
stood.
Ex 18:13,16; Nu 27:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 3:15

    And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

  • 1 Kings 3:16

    Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

  • 1 Kings 3:17

    And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

Read all of 1 Kings 3

1 Kings 3:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		En aquella sazón vinieron dos mujeres rameras al rey, y presentáronse delante de él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors deux femmes prostituées vinrent vers le roi, et se tinrent devant lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Damals kamen zwei Huren zu dem König und standen vor ihm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc venerunt duæ mulieres meretrices ad regem, steteruntque coram eo: