The Bible In Paintings >>> Women in the Bible Series ✝️ TWO PROSTITUTES, THEIR BABIES, and WISE KING SOLOMON ✝️

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible
In Paintings

~ Encouragement for Applying
and Appreciating God's Word ~

•Drawings•Engravings•Facades•Frescoes•Illuminations•Miniatures•Mosaics•Photographs•Reliefs•Statues•Tapestries•Windows•

WOMEN IN THE BIBLE
TWO PROSTITUTES,
THEIR BABIES, AND
WISE KING SOLOMON

1st KINGS 3

Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One of them said, “My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby.

“During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”

The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’ ”

Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

1
PETER PAUL RUBENS
"Judgment of Solomon"

2
NICOLAS POUSSIN
"The Judgment of Solomon"

3
FREDERIC HENRI SCHOPIN
"The Judgment of Solomon"

4
GASPAR DE CRAYER
"The Judgement of Solomon"

5
JAMES TISSOT
"The Wisdom of Solomon"

6
RAPHAEL
"Judgment of Solomon"

7
LUCA GIORDANO
"The Judgment of Solomon"

8
LUCA GIORDANO
"The Judgment of Solomon"

9
MATTHIAS STOM
"The Judgment of Solomon"

10
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"Judgment of Solomon"

11
NIKOLAI GE
"The Judgment of King Solomon"

12
STEPHAN KESSLER
"Judgment of Solomon"

13
Source

14
Source

15
HE QI
"Judgment of Solomon"

16
ARTUS QUELLINUS I
"Solomon's Judgment"

17
"The Judgement of Salomon"

18
"Judgement of Solomon"

19
"Le Jugement de Salomon"

20
"The Judgment of Solomon"

21
"The Judgment of Solomon"

22
"Judgement of Solomon"

23
Source

24
"Jugement de Salomon"

25

26
JEAN CHASTELLAIN
"Solomon's Judgment"

27
Detail

28
JOHN HARDMAN POWELL
"Solomon's Judgement"

29
"Solomon & True Mother"           "Soldier & Untrue Mother"

→ a n d   f i n a l l y ←

30
Source

New International Version ©1984, Abrgd, EMPHASES added
Masthead Painting: “GUEST” by Andrey Mironov

[Hebrews 11:6]

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[Hebrews 11:6]

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A FRIENDLY FORUM

[Red Badger]

At least he didn’t throw out the baby with the bath water..................

[Hebrews 11:6]

That’s why I like that last one so much..........................

[Red Badger]

Most of the artists got it right: Solomon was still a teenager at that time...............

[Hebrews 11:6]

Really? What suggests such a young age? David would have had to be in his sixties or seventies when he fathered him with Bathsheba.................

[Red Badger]

He was supposedly 14 at the age of his ascension to the throne.

The previous passage showed that he was visited by God in his dream soon after that.

I believe that God set up this scenario to show the people how wise Solomon now was.

The King James version has ‘fear’ instead of ‘awe’....................

[Hebrews 11:6]

supposedly 14

Source?

[No name given]

Exquisite and beautiful!

[jjotto]

Josephus. Some Jewish traditions say 12. It is unclear if Solomon’s kingship started with his appointment by David, or is counted from David’s death. It is unclear how long David lived after Solomon’s appointment. Some scholars say two years, but could have been more.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Wonderful.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Solomon's extreme youth when issuing his famous "solution" adds a whole new level of appreciation of this incident for me.

It's the icing on the cake: not only is such a solution beyond human invention, it was performed by someone clearly incapable. It was a ringing testimonial to Solomon's relationship with the Almighty.

[Red Badger]

Read what he did to Joab, David’s Army Commander, and Adonijah, David’s eldest surviving son, and Shimei the son of Gera, who mocked David when he fled from Jerusalem................

[Hebrews 11:6]

I shall. And your point is?

[etabeta]

Paintings, illustrations, carvings, stained glass windows...excellent!
Love the last one by the artist Slava Groshev.

[Red Badger]

With Joab, a cruel murderer, Solomon had him killed right off the bat, even holding onto the horns of the altar.

Adonijah tried some slick maneuvering and was executed for his troubles.

Shimei was give a very simple command to stay in Jerusalem at all times. He didn’t, so he was executed as well.

Very wise........................

[Red Badger]

There is no general agreement among scholars as to Solomon’s age when he became king, as his age was not recorded in the Bible.

However, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, succeeded him as king at the age of 41 after Solomon’s death, which shows that Rehoboam was born when Solomon was 19 years old.

Solomon himself when speaking to God in his dream said:

1 Kings 3:7

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

[Hebrews 11:6]

My favorite, too. That is how God holds us.

In fact, frequently when I’m praying for someone, I place them in His lap. I’ve done that with you.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Solomon: a case study in the erosion of once-great faith.