1 Kings 3:16

Notes

This passage starts with the word "then" (אָ֣ז), which signals a change in time. In the previous story (1 Kgs 3:1-15), Solomon encountered YHWH in a dream at Gibeon. The narrator doesn't tell us exactly when the events in this story (1 Kgs 3:16-28) take place, but it is presumably sometime after Solomon's dream. We also immediately encounter two of the main characters, but we don't know much about them. The narrator simply tells us they are two women (שְׁתַּ֛יִם נָשִׁ֥ים) who were prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת), they entered (תָּבֹ֗אנָה) into the king's presence (אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ), and they stood before him(וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דְנָה לְפָנָֽיו).

With this simple verse, much of the stage is set for the ensuing story. We have the three main characters (i.e., two prostitutes and Solomon) and the location (the king's presence ~ Jerusalem 1 Kgs 3:15).

I want to draw your attention to two details that play an important role in our understanding of the passage.

First, the narrator describes the women as prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת = ). This detail carries several implications for our reading of the passage. We need to familiarize ourselves with the words meaning and theological significance before we can determine its significance in this passage.

The Hebrew word often translated as prostitute (זֹנָה = zonah) has a broader meaning than the English term suggests. There are two main ways zonah (זֹנָה) is used in the Old Testament: literal and metaphorical.

The literal meaning can refer to sexual activity exchanged for compensation, it can also refer to any sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage (TDOT). Notably, this is a term that is reserved primarily for women's activities. There is a separate word (נָאַף = nāʾap) typically reserved for men's illicit sexual activity.

In addition to our passage, literal uses of zonah appears in several famous biblical stories (Tamar: Gen 38:15; Rahab: Josh 2:1; Jephthah's mother: Judg 11:1).

The metaphorical meaning developed out of the literal. Just as all sexual activity must be confined to the covenant relationship between a man and a woman, so to all idolatrous worship must be avoided because of the covenant relationship between YHWH and Israel. The prophetic literature frequently uses zonah as metaphorical language for idolatry. Hosea (in)famously uses the image of prostitution (zonah) to describe Israel's covenant violations.

Hosea 1:2 (NRSV)

2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom (זְנוּנִים = zenunim) and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom (זְנוּנִים = zenunim) by forsaking the Lord.”

Notably, YHWH intends for Hosea's marriage to Gomer to reflect YHWH's covenant relationship with Israel. Just as Gomer is unfaithful to Hosea, Israel is unfaithful to YHWH.

So, what are we to make of this information? Why does it matter that the two women who approach Solomon are prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת)?

Scholars have explained this in various, but not necessarily mutually exclusive, ways. Some have suggested that their vocation demonstrates Solomon's ability/willingness to govern all socio-economic classes in his kingdom. Others suggest the story's plot depends, in part, on their being prostitutes. It explains why no fathers are mentioned in the story and why the women might live in the same house.

Finally, some scholars suggest the narrator is making a larger statement about Solomon's kingdom with the presence of two prostitutes. The larger context of the passage lends support to this view. In 1 Kings 3:1-2, Solomon marries an Egyptian princess and the people are offering sacrifices at high places (i.e., not in Jerusalem).

Both issues lead to major problems throughout the book. Solomon's marriage to foreign women leads him into idolatry (i.e., spiritual prostitution) and the sacrifices at high places repeatedly plague Israelite religion and violate YHWH's covenant with the people (i.e., spiritual prostitution).

If this third option is in view, which I think it is, then the narrator is encouraging the reader to pay attention to potential associations between these two women and issues of national idolatry.

Second, notice that the narrator does not say the women "came to King Solomon" (הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה) He says "the king" (הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ). In fact, at no point in this passage (1 Kgs 3:16-28) does the narrator every explicitly identify Solomon as the king. Obviously, Solomon is the king in question. There is no disputing that. However, as readers, we must grapple with the following question: Why doesn't the narrator explicitly identify Solomon as the king?

As we work through this passage, we will return to these two issues. For now, I just want to flag the topics for you. So, let me summarize with two questions:

1. Is it important that these women are prostitutes (זֹנ֖וֹת)?
2. Why doesn't the narrator explicitly identify the king (הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ) as Solomon?