Great(i)
16 Then came there two wemen, that were harlottes, vnto the kynge. and stode before hym.
17 And the one woman sayde: Oh my Lorde, I and thys woman dwell in one house. And I was delyuered of a chyld with her in the house.
18 And the thyrde daye after that I was delyuered, she was delyuered also: and we were together, and no straunger with vs in the house, saue we two.
19 And thys wyues chyde dyed in the nyght, for she smothered it.
20 And she rose at mydnyght, and toke my sonne from my syde, whyle thyne handemayde slepte, and layde it in her bosome, and putt her deed chylde in my bosome.
21 And when I rose vp to geue my chylde sucke: beholde, it was deed. But whan I had loked vpon it in the mornynge, beholde, it was not my sonne, which I dyd beare.
22 The other woman sayde: it is not so: but my sonne lyueth, and thy sonne is deed. And she sayde agayne: No, but thy sonne is deed, and my sonne is alyue. And thus they pleated before the kynge.
23 Then sayde the kyng: the one sayth, this that is alyue is my sonne: and the deed is thyne. And the other saythe, naye: but thy sonne is the deed, & the lyuinge chylde is myne,
24 And the kynge sayde: bryng me a swearde. And they brought out a swearde before the kynge.
25 And the kynge sayde. Deuyde the lyuinge chylde in two, and geue the one halfe to the one, and the other to the other.
26 Then spake the woman, whose the lyuynge chylde was, vnto the kynge, for her bowelles yerned vpon her sonne, and sayde: I beseche the my Lorde, geue her the lyuyng chylde, and in no wyse sleye it. But the other sayd: let it be nether myne nor thyne, but deuyde it.
27 Then the kynge answered and sayd: geue her the lyuing chylde, and sley it not: for she is the mother therof.
28 And all they of Israel hearde of the iudgement, which the kynge hath iudged, and feared the kynge: for they sawe that the wysdome of God was in hym, to do iustice.