1. Now Yoav Ben Tzeruyah perceived that the lev HaMelech was toward Avshalom.
2. And Yoav sent to Tekoah, and brought from there an isha chachamah, and said unto her, now, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with shemen, but be as an isha that had a long time mourned for the dead;
3. And come to HaMelech, and speak on this manner unto him. So Yoav put the devarim in her peh (mouth).
4. And when the isha of Tekoah spoke to HaMelech, she fell on her face to the ground, and prostrated herself, and said, Hoshi'ah (help), O Melech.
5. And HaMelech said unto her, What troubleth thee? She answered, I am indeed an almanah, and mine ish is dead.
6. And thy shifchah had two banim, and they two fought together in the sadeh, and there was none to separate them, but the one struck the other, and killed him.
7. And, hinei, kol hamishpakhah is risen against thine shifchah (handmaid), and they said, Deliver him that struck his brother, that we may kill him, for the nefesh of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the yoresh (heir) also; and so they shall quench my burning coal remaining, and shall not leave to my ish shem nor she'erit upon ha'adamah.
8. And HaMelech said to the isha, Go to thine bais; I will give charge concerning thee.
9. And the isha of Tekoah said unto HaMelech, Adoni, O Melech, the avon (guilt) be on me, and on my bais avi; and HaMelech and his kisse be guiltless.
10. And HaMelech said, Whoever saith anything unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
11. Then said she, Now, let HaMelech remember Hashem Eloheicha, that thou wouldest not suffer the Go'el HaDahm to destroy any more, lest they destroy beni (my son). And he said, As Hashem liveth, there shall not one hair of thy ben fall to the ground.
12. Then the isha said, Let thine shifchah, now, speak one word unto adoni Ha-Melech. And he said, Say on.
13. And the isha said, why then hast thou thought such a thing against the Am Elohim? For HaMelech doth speak this thing as one which is guilty, in that HaMelech doth not bring back home again his banished.
14. For we must needs die, are as mayim spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; yet Elohim doth not take away nefesh; but devises means, so that His banished be not expelled from Him.
15. Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto adoni HaMelech, it is because the people have made me afraid; and thy shifchah thought, I will now speak unto HaMelech; it may be that HaMelech will perform the request of his amah (servant).
16. For HaMelech will hear, to deliver his amah (servant) out of the palm of the ish that would destroy me and beni (my son) together out of the nachalat Elohim.
17. Then thine shifchah said, The devar adoni HaMelech shall now be as menuchah (rest, comfort); for as a malach HaElohim, so is adoni HaMelech to discern the tov and the rah; therefore Hashem Eloheicha will be with thee.