1 Kings 3:16

“Then came there two women [that] were harlots unto the king, etc.] The same day, as Abarbinel thinks, the night before which the Lord had appeared to Solomon; this came to pass through the providence of God, that there should be immediately an instance and proof of the wisdom and understanding the Lord had given to Solomon; these women, according to the Targum, were victuallers or inn keepers; and so Ben Gersom thinks they were sellers of food, as Rahab; though he observes it is possible they might, prostitute themselves: this may be said in their favour, that common prostitutes do not usually bear children, or, when they do, take no care of them, have no affection for them, and much less…”

“HIS JUDGMENT BETWEEN TWO HARLOTS. (Kg1 3:16-28) Then came there two women--Eastern monarchs, who generally administer justice in person, at least in all cases of difficulty, often appeal to the principles of human nature when they are at a loss otherwise to find a clue to the truth or see clearly their way through a mass of conflicting testimony. The modern history of the East abounds with anecdotes of judicial cases, in which the decision given was the result of an experiment similar to this of Solomon upon the natural feelings of the contending parties. Next: 1 Kings Chapter 4”

“Harlots - Or, victuallers: for the Hebrew words signifies both. Yet that they are unmarried persons, seems probable, both because there is no mention of any husbands, whose office it was, if there were any such, to contest for their wives; and because they lived a solitary life in one house. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 3:19”

“3:16-28 Solomon’s judgment concerning the real mother of the living baby illustrates his wisdom in cases of civil jurisprudence. Chapters 4–10 illustrate his wisdom in all areas of his rule. 3:16 prostitutes: While the law condemned prostitution (Lev 19:29; Deut 23:18), it still existed in ancient Israel. Though these women were of the most despised class of women in Israelite society, Solomon demonstrated his kindness and availability to all people by dealing justice to them as mothers, not as prostitutes.”

“two women: Lev 19:29; Deu 23:17; Jos 2:1 harlots: The word zanoth, rendered harlots, is here translated by the Targumist, the best judge in this case, pundekon, "tavern-keepers." See note on Jos 2:1, and see note on Jdg 11:1. Had these women been harlots, it is not likely that they would have dared to appear before Solomon; nor is it likely that such persons would have been permitted in the reign of David. Their husbands might at this time have been following their necessary occupations in distant parts. stood: Exo 18:13, Exo 18:16; Num 27:2 3 Kings (1 Kings) 3:17”

“Solomon's Judicial Wisdom. - As a proof that the Lord had bestowed upon Solomon unusual judicial wisdom, there is appended a decision of his in a very difficult case, in which Solomon had shown extraordinary intelligence. Two harlots living together in one house had each given birth to a child, and one of them had "overlaid" her child in the night while asleep (עליו שׁכבה אשׁר, because she had lain upon it), and had then placed her dead child in the other one's bosom and taken her living child away. When the other woman looked the next morning at the child lying in her bosom, she saw that it was not her own but the other woman's child, whereas the latter maintained the opposite. As they…”