Two women came before the king. Each said the living child was hers.
אָז תָּבֹאנָה שְׁתַּיִם נָשִׁים זֹנוֹת אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה לְפָנָיו׃
מלכים א ג:טז
"Then two women came to the king and stood before him."
Melachim Aleph 3:16
So he called for a sword, and told them to cut the child in two.
וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ גִּזְרוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד הַחַי לִשְׁנָיִם וּתְנוּ אֶת הַחֲצִי לְאַחַת וְאֶת הַחֲצִי לְאֶחָת׃
מלכים א ג:כה
"And the king said, cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other."
Melachim Aleph 3:25
One of them would rather lose him than see him cut. That was the answer.
וַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר תְּנוּ לָהּ אֶת הַיָּלוּד הַחַי וְהָמֵת לֹא תְמִיתֻהוּ הִיא אִמּוֹ׃
מלכים א ג:כז
"And the king answered and said, give her the living child and do not put him to death. She is his mother."
Melachim Aleph 3:27