1 Kings 3:18

1Ki 3:18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we [were] together; [there was] no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

Ver. 18. That this woman was delivered also.] Hence some argue that they were not harlots, because they use not to bring forth children; or if they do, they usually make them away as soon as they are born.

There was no stranger with us in the house.] This made the case so difficult, because there was not witness to be had, nor any other way of discovery left to see to, nisi hariolari in re dubia, but to give a guess at the business. {a}

{a} Tortura fortassis nondum in usu fuit. - Phlac.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 3:18-22. On the third day — this woman was delivered also — So that the children could not be distinguished by their age. No stranger was with us in the house — Therefore there was no witness on either side; and although there might be some difference distinguishable by an exact observer between the features of the two children, yet it is not probable that was much attended to by the neighbours who might be present to assist either or both of them in their labour; as they were persons, it seems, of suspected fame. And the testimonies of the women were of equal credit, that is, of no credit at all. Because she overlaid it — And so smothered it: which she justly conjectures, because there were evidences of that kind of death, but no appearance of any other cause thereof. Thus they spake before the king — Both peremptorily and vehemently affirmed the same thing; oft repeating the same words.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. there was no stranger with us] Thus the mother of the dead child was able to persist in her false story. The word of one was as good as that of the other.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And this woman's child died in the night,.... Whether the same night following the day it was born is not certain;

because she overlaid it; or laid upon it, being heavy through sleep, and not knowing what she did, turned herself upon it, and smothered it; because it had no previous illness, or any marks of any disease it could be thought to die of, and perhaps there might be some of its being overlaid.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The third day; so they could not be distinguished by their age.

There was no stranger with us in the house; therefore no witness on either side; and although there might be some sensible difference to an exact observer between the features of the two children, yet it is not probable that was much minded by the neighbours; for though civil women might assist them both in their child-births, yet it is not likely they would afterwards converse much with them, as being persons of suspected fame, and the features of the children, especially for so few days, might easily be so like, that it was difficult to discern the one from the other. And the testimonies of the women were of equal credit, i.e. of none at all.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. Emphasis is laid on this fact, as showing the possibility of the fraud and the impossibility of producing proof. Hebrew women have always required but little assistance in childbearing. That which is written in Exo_1:19 is true to this day.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

The two prostitutes tell Solomon their story.

lay on him

It may be helpful to state that this caused the baby to die. AT: "accidentally rolled on top of her baby and smothered him" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

your servant

The woman speaks as if she were speaking of someone else to show that she respects Solomon. AT: "I" (See: Pronouns)

translationWords

son

die

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.