The king responded, “Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.”

Do to him what you think is appropriate, ¹  but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. ² 

Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.” ¹  She said, “Go ahead and ask.” ² 

“Your father made us work too hard. ¹  Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” ² 

But now ¹  don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; ²  make sure he has a bloody death.” ³ 

She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor. ¹  Please don’t refuse me.” ²  He said, ³  “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. ¹  But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son.

Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed ¹  them there.

The real mother ¹  spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. ²  She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” ³  But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!”