15. And they came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the men with Joab battered and undermined the wall to make it fall.
16. Then a wise woman of the city cried, Hear, hear! Say to Joab, Come here so I can speak to you.
17. And when he came near her, the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I am listening.
18. Then she said, People used to say, Let them but ask counsel at Abel, and so they settled the matter.
19. I am one of the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city which is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?
20. Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!
21. That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.
22. Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and cast it down to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his own home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. [Eccl. 9:13-16.]
23. Joab was over the host of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over [the king's bodyguards] the Cherethites and Pelethites;
24. Adoram was over the tribute; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;
25. Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;
26. Also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.