1. NOW JOAB son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
2. And Joab sent to Tekoah and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning apparel, do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has long been mourning for the dead.
3. And go to the king and speak thus to him. And Joab told her what to say.
4. When the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king!
5. The king asked her, What troubles you? She said, I am a widow; my husband is dead.
6. And your handmaid had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.