11. One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, ‘Whoever favours Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!’
12. Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realised that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him.
13. After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
14. Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites, who gathered together and followed him.
15. All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down,
16. a wise woman called from the city, ‘Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so that I can speak to him.’
17. He went towards her, and she asked, ‘Are you Joab?’‘I am,’ he answered.She said, ‘Listen to what your servant has to say.’‘I’m listening,’ he said.
18. She continued, ‘Long ago they used to say, “Get your answer at Abel,” and that settled it.
19. We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?’
20. ‘Far be it from me!’ Joab replied, ‘Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!