1. Now Joab the son of Zeruiah recognized that the king’s mind was on Absalom.
2. So Joab sent a request to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He instructed her, “Act as if you are observing mourning rites. Put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning over the dead like this for many days.
3. Then come to the king and speak to him in this manner.” Thus Joab put the words in her mouth.
4. As the Tekoan woman spoke to the king, she fell on her face toward the ground and bowed low. Then she said, “Help me, O king.”
5. The king said to her, “What troubles you?”She responded, “Alas, I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
6. Furthermore, your servant had two sons. The two of them were fighting in the field, but there was no one to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.