This Week's Story
click here to play audioA baby boy is rescued from death by sword.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Who is the mother?
It was not just a dream. No! God spoke to Solomon in this dream. “Solomon, what do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you.”
Solomon replied, “I do not know how to be king of Israel. I’m like a child crawling, not yet able to walk. Please give me knowledge and understanding.”
“Solomon, your request makes me happy. Because, you ask for wisdom, you shall have it with honor and wealth.”
Solomon became known as the wisest king in the Middle East! His business enterprises were vast and his literary accomplishments many!
Into his judgment hall one day walked two women. One walked confidently with an infant in her arms. The other approached hesitantly. The court councilor announced, “King Solomon, the next case concerns two prostitutes, Miriam and Deborah, and a baby. Each woman claims to be the baby’s mother. Will you judge which woman is the mother?”
The king looked at the two women and asked the fearful one, “Miriam, why do you believe that this infant is yours?”
“Oh king, Deborah and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a boy, and she did so three days later. That same night her little one died. We were alone in the house. As I slept, she put her dead baby beside me and took my child. When I awoke this morning to nurse my wee one, he was gone. Instead a dead infant lay beside me.
"I want my child. I love him! You know Deborah and I are prostitutes. My family has rejected me. We are condemned by our neighbors. But I have a right to my child. Please, may I have my baby?”
“Deborah, what is your story?”
“Miriam is lying. Our babies look similar. Each has curly brown hair, brown eyes, and a pudgy face. But mine has a birthmark on his left heel, as she knows. The dead child is hers.”
“Lies. She knows that it is my baby with a birthmark on his heel. She must have killed her child by rolling on him as she slept. Now she has stolen mine.”
“O king, Miriam wants to deceive you.”
King Solomon spoke strongly, “Cease your dispute. No more accusations!”
He called to his guard, “Caleb, bring me a sword. If each woman insists on her story and there are no witnesses, then this baby will be divided in half.”
Miriam ran to Solomon, her fearfulness replaced with a mother’s desperation, “O king, may Deborah have the child. Please do not kill him.”
Deborah spoke calmly, “Your decision is fair, O King. I agree; he should be cut in half.”
Then King Solomon stood. “This is my judgment. Give the child to Miriam. She is the rightful mother. Her willingness to give up her child to prevent his death has revealed her love and the truth. The child is not to be divided by sword.”
Throughout Israel people heard and spoke of the king’s decisions. They recognized the great wisdom that Solomon had from God. Ambassadors crowded his courts to observe his leadership. The Queen of Sheba travelled 1200 miles to visit Solomon. She came with many difficult questions.
Finally she exclaimed, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! I didn’t believe it until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. The Lord your God is great indeed!”
This is Barbara Steiner marveling at King Solomon’s understanding of a mother’s love.
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We invite your comments! [click here to comment]
I love the wisdom of God. As an average human being I realize his wisdom is far above mine. from T.Lea
Trusting in God's wisdom is great comfort for me.
God gave him the opportunity to ask for anything. He asked for wisdom and understanding, and not something worldly. He didn't try to be a king by himself. He let God direct him. from Ian
Dear Ian,
Wouldn't we be wiser if we always let God direct us! Leah
When the king heard the reaction of the real mother, that's how he knew the mother. I really liked the story. It was fascinating. from Kenna
Dear Kenna,
Solomon asked for wisdom. God granted it. God's wisdom is far beyond anything we can fathom. Leah
The story really scares me. King Solomon acts like the baby is just a loaf of bread to be divided in half. However he actually only acts this way to shock the women into exposing themselves. from Jenny
Dear Jenny,
God had a plan. Shock can expose truth. Leah
I think even if Deborah really was the mother, Miriam deserves the baby more. She would rather have the child go to Deborah than have half of the dead body. Also, Solomon's choice of wisdom for whatever he wanted shows that he already had wisdom! from Sunny
Dear Sunny,
Solomon knew he needed help to be king. Humility opened the door. Leah
I think Miriam was willing to give her baby to Deborah for the baby to be safe. Solomon had known what to do by dividing the baby in half. He could see who really loved the child. from Fatima
Dear Fatima,
Solomon was able to make the right decision after asking God for knowledge and wisdom. Leah
King Solomon could have asked for fame or power, but instead he asked for wisdom. from Caleb
Dear Caleb,
I like the fact that Solomon was humble enough to ask for God's help to be a good king. Leah
I find this story as a reminder that such wisdom can only come from God and that when we pray to Him, He answers. from Micah
Dear Micah,
How do you think a King without God's wisdom would have decided the case? Leah
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