1 Kings 3:26 nasb — Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh,…

NASB

"Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!""

— 1 Kings 3:26, NASB

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1 Kings 3:26 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.”

  • ASV

    “Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor thine; divide it. ”

  • WEB

    “Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill it!" But the other said, "It shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide it."”

  • NET

    “The real mother spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. She said,“My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” But the other woman said,“Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!””

  • DRB

    “But the woman, whose child was alive, said to the king; (for her bowels were moved upon her child) I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said: Let it be neither mine nor thine; but divide it.”

  • BBE

    “Then the mother of the living child came forward, for her heart went out to her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the child; do not on any account put it to death. But the other woman said, It will not be mine or yours; let it be cut in two.”

  • KJVA

    “Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.”

1 Kings 3 — Context

23

Then the king said, "The one says, 'This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one'; and the other says, 'No! For your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'"

24

The king said, "Get me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king.

25

The king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other."

26

Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!"

27

Then the king said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother."

28

When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

1 Kings 3:26 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Kings 3:26 say?
1 Kings 3:26 in the NASB reads: “Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!"”
Where is 1 Kings 3:26 in the Bible?
1 Kings 3:26 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Kings, chapter 3, verse 26.
Who wrote 1 Kings?
1 Kings is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jeremiah). It was written c. 561–538 BC.
What is the book of 1 Kings about?
1 Kings tells of Solomon's wisdom and the building of the temple, then the painful division of the kingdom after his death. The northern kingdom plunges into idolatry under a series of wicked kings until the prophet Elijah is raised up to call Israel back to the LORD.
What are the major themes of 1 Kings?
1 Kings explores themes including Wisdom, Temple, Divided Kingdom, Idolatry, Prophecy. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Kings 3:26.
What translation should I read 1 Kings 3:26 in?
1 Kings 3:26 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Kings 3:26?
1 Kings 3:26 reads (NASB): “Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!"” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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