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 e 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 e 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 .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 3:24-28
Commentary on 1 Kings 3:16-28
(Read 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.