1. Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was towards Absalom.
2. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and brought thence a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:
3. And come to the king, and speak in this manner to him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
4. And when the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.