The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword,
Parallel translations
- WEB The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
- KJV And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
- NKJV Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
- NASB And the king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
- NLT All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon calls for a sword, startling the court. His shocking command is a deliberate strategy to reveal the true mother's heart.
Overview
The king's order to bring a sword seems alarming, but it is a calculated test rather than a real intention to harm the child. Solomon devises a situation in which true maternal love will expose itself. The verse showcases wisdom that works not by more evidence but by reading the human heart.
Cross-references & the web
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Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 3:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.