Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And it came to pass, the third day after I was delivered,.... Of a child, as before expressed:

that this woman was delivered also; of another child; and being both of the same sex, both sons, as afterwards appears; and being so nearly of an age, it was difficult to distinguish them;

and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house,

save we two in the house; so that in this trial no evidences could be produced on either side.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 3:18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we [were] together; [there was] no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

Ver. 18. That this woman was delivered also.] Hence some argue that they were not harlots, because they use not to bring forth children; or if they do, they usually make them away as soon as they are born.

There was no stranger with us in the house.] This made the case so difficult, because there was not witness to be had, nor any other way of discovery left to see to, nisi hariolari in re dubia, but to give a guess at the business. (a)

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The third day; so they could not be distinguished by their age.

There was no stranger with us in the house; therefore no witness on either side; and although there might be some sensible difference to an exact observer between the features of the two children, yet it is not probable that was much minded by the neighbours; for though civil women might assist them both in their child-births, yet it is not likely they would afterwards converse much with them, as being persons of suspected fame, and the features of the children, especially for so few days, might easily be so like, that it was difficult to discern the one from the other. And the testimonies of the women were of equal credit, i.e. of none at all.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

there was no stranger. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and there was no stranger".