The Meaning of 1 Kings 3:25 Explained

1 Kings 3:25

KJV: And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

YLT: and the king saith, 'Cut the living child into two, and give the half to the one, and the half to the other.'

Darby: And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

ASV: And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Kings 3:25 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 3:16-28 - A Discerning Judgment
The incident gave convincing proof of the gift of wisdom. This is the most esteemed endowment of an Eastern potentate, who is called upon to arbitrate in cases that defy the labored processes of law and precedent. How could so difficult a case be decided? There were no witnesses on either side. But Solomon appealed to the instincts of a mother's love. The proposal to divide the child at once revealed the mother, who would rather expose herself to a life of anguish than see her child suffer or its life extinguished.
Bishop Hall, commenting on this incident, says, "Truth demands entireness; falsehood is satisfied with less. Satan, who has no right to the heart, is content with a piece of it; God, who made the heart, will have either all or none."
But surely there is a still deeper lesson. When we truly belong to Christ, sharing His nature and having fellowship in His Kingdom, we shall live in quick sympathy with everything that touches His honor. The child of God instinctively winces whenever his Father's character is challenged, or a foul suggestion is made to his own soul. This is evidence of sonship.
1 Kings 3:1-28 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 3

1  Solomon marries Pharaoh's daughter
2  High places being in use, Solomon sacrifices at Gibeon
5  Solomon at Gibeon, in the choice which God gave him,
10  preferring wisdom, obtains wisdom, riches, and honor
16  Solomon's judgment makes him renowned

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 3:25 mean?

And said the king Divide - the child living in two and give - half to one and half to one
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ גִּזְר֛וּ אֶת־ הַיֶּ֥לֶד הַחַ֖י לִשְׁנָ֑יִם וּתְנ֤וּ אֶֽת־ הַחֲצִי֙ לְאַחַ֔ת וְאֶֽת־ הַחֲצִ֖י לְאֶחָֽת

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
גִּזְר֛וּ  Divide 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: גָּזַר 
Sense: to cut, divide, cut down, cut off, cut in two, snatch, decree.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיֶּ֥לֶד  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
הַחַ֖י  living 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
לִשְׁנָ֑יִם  in  two 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
וּתְנ֤וּ  and  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַחֲצִי֙  half 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
לְאַחַ֔ת  to  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הַחֲצִ֖י  half 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
לְאֶחָֽת  to  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).

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