Judgment Obtained by Appeal to the Principle of Affection
1 Kings 3:16-28
Then came there two women, that were harlots, to the king, and stood before him.…


Among the heathens we read of similar decisions. We read of an emperor having discovered a woman to be the mother of a certain young man, whom she refused to acknowledge as her son, by commanding her to marry him; but rather than this, she confessed the truth. Another instance we read, is that of the King of Thrace, being appointed to decide between three young men, who each professed to be the son of a deceased king, and claimed the crown in consequence; but Ariopharnes found out the real son, by commanding each to shoot an arrow into the body of the dead king; two of them did this without any hesitation; the third refused, and was therefore judged to be the real son. In both cases an appeal was made to the principle of affection; and the truth was discovered, as in the case of the mother of the living child.

(E. Thompson, D. D.).



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

WEB: Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him.




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