13. After this, no one else stopped. They all walked straight past him on their way to help Joab capture Sheba.
14. Sheba had gone through all the tribes of Israel when he came to the town of Abel Beth-Maacah. All his best soldiers met him there and followed him into the town.
15. Joab and his troops came and surrounded Abel, so that no one could go in or come out. They made an earth ramp up to the town wall and then started to use a battering ram to knock the wall down.
16. A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall, “Listen to me! Listen to me! I have to talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!”
17. When he came, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”“Yes, I am,” he answered.She said, “Please, listen to what I have to say.”“All right,” he said. “I'll listen.”
18. She said, “Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.’ The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem.
19. We are Israelites, and we want peace! You can trust us. Why are you trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to wipe out the Lord's people?”
20. Joab answered, “No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town!
21. That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone.”The woman told Joab, “We will throw his head over the wall.”
22. She went to the people of the town and talked them into doing it. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab.Joab blew a signal on his trumpet, and the soldiers returned to their homes. Joab went back to David in Jerusalem.
23. Joab was the commander of Israel's entire army.Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of David's bodyguard.
24. Adoram was in charge of the slave labour force.Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept government records.
25. Sheva was the secretary.Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26. Ira from Jair was David's priest.