The Bible is made of women who took diverse roles and responsibilities. However, there were also women who had a profession of attracting men and sleeping with them for money. Why would the Holy Book mention accounts of different prostitutes? First, we know that God, since Genesis has been seeking for the sinner including the prostitutes. He calls all humanity to Himself. Further, knowledge that prostitutes, that is a group of people scorned by society could end up in God's Holy Book, gives the assurance that none is too bad to be saved. Again, we learn lessons from some of the ways these people were transformed from nobodies to history makers (see Rahab). Although some of the women became prostitutes for selfish reasons (Tamar), we still see how God used their low lives to bring His bigger picture. Male and female prostitution is sinful and sexual immorality has no place in Heaven (Revelation 2:15). We shall consider two prostitutes who presented their case for king Solomon.
Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. (1 Kings 3:16)
In 1 Kings 3:15-28, we see the story of two prostitutes who had a bad quarrel and definitely needed some help. I am not sure if there were any birth control remedies for these prostitutes as their business could lead to pregnancies. These two prostitutes got pregnant and gave birth around the same time (3 days interval) and lived alone in their house (1 Kings 3: 18). One night, one of the women laid on her baby and the baby died. She woke up and took the living baby of the other woman and placed her dead baby in its place. Although the children were almost of the same age, the mother of the living baby realized that her baby had been taken and a dead one had been placed in his stead. In our modern-day, the king would have requested a blood test or even DNA test to know whose child is dead and whose child is alive. But these technologies were not available in the days of Solomon. The two prostitutes continued to quarrel before the king. One says, 'the living child is mine' and the other says, 'the living child is mine'. How do you resolve this issue in 1000 BCE?
King Solomon must have been surprised to see the two women arguing for a living baby and none accepting the ownership of the dead baby. 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.’ ” (1 Kings 3:23). Through the wisdom of God, the king gave this verdict: “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.” (1 Kings 3:24-25). This test of compassion quickly yielded results. The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love 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!” (1 Kings 3:26). The woman who had the living baby would prefer the son alive and with the other woman than to see him die. On the other hand, the one with the dead baby wanted the living one killed as well. She had no compassion for the innocent baby because she was not the mother!
This was the judgement of the king: "Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” (1 Kings 3:27). The wise judgement stunned all Israel. "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 Kings 3:28).
The two prostitutes did not know that their quarrel would end up in the Bible. Thousands of years later, we still read about their story and how the wisdom of God was clearly displayed in the judgement.
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