2 Samuel 14

¹Now it was clear to Joab, the son of Zeruiah, that the king's heart was turning to Absalom.

²And Joab sent to Tekoa and got from there a wise woman, and said to her, Now make yourself seem like one given up to grief, and put on the clothing of sorrow, not using any sweet oil for your body, but looking like one who for a long time has been weeping for the dead:

³And come to the king and say these words to him. So Joab gave her words to say.

⁴And the woman of Tekoa came to the king, and falling on her face, gave him honour and said, Give me help, O king.

⁵And the king said to her, What is your trouble? And her answer was, Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

⁶And I had two sons, and the two of them had a fight in the field, and there was no one to come between them, and one with a blow put the other to death.

⁷And now all the family is turned against me, your servant, saying, Give up him who was the cause of his brother's death, so that we may put him to death in payment for the life of his brother, whose life he took; and we will put an end to the one who will get the heritage: so they will put out my last burning coal, and my husband will have no name or offspring on the face of the earth.

⁸And the king said to the woman, Go to your house and I will give orders about this.

⁹And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, may the sin be on me and on my family, and may the king and the seat of his kingdom be clear of sin!

¹⁰And the king said, If anyone says anything to you, make him come to me, and he will do you no more damage.