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.