מלכים א, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ״ז

The dramatic climax of the famous trial hinges on the deep, natural bond between a mother and her child. The king delivers his final verdict, determining the true mother based entirely on how the two women reacted to the terrifying threat of dividing the baby. He commands that the living child be given to the woman who immediately showed mercy. Her desperate plea to hand the baby over to her rival just to keep him alive proved her true identity [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The initial call for a sword was never a true command, but rather a clever trick. It was designed to bypass their arguments and expose the truth through their raw, natural reactions, clearly distinguishing the real mother from the woman who stole the child [מלבי"ם, נחל שורק]. By explicitly ordering that the child should not be put to death, the king officially cancels his previous command to harm the baby [רד"ק].

The ruling rests on the undeniable mercy the mother displayed. Yet, a deeper, spiritual layer accompanies this earthly judgment. A heavenly voice echoed in the courtroom, declaring that this woman was indeed the true mother, serving as divine confirmation that the king had judged correctly [רש"י, רד"ק, צאינה וראינה]. This heavenly intervention had a profound impact on the public. Because the entire nation heard the voice, a great sense of awe and reverence for the king fell upon them. They witnessed his divine wisdom in managing the trial and saw firsthand that heaven itself agreed with his final decision [נחל שורק, חומת אנך].