2 Samuel 14

¹Then Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah perceyued, that the Kings heart was toward Absalom,

²And Ioab sent to Tekoah, and brought thence a subtile woman, and sayd vnto her, I pray thee, fayne thy selfe to mourne, and nowe put on mourning apparel, and anoynt not thy selfe with oyle: but be as a woman that had now long time mourned for the dead.

³And come to the King, and speake on this maner vnto him, (for Ioab taught her what she should say).

⁴Then the woman of Tekoah spake vnto the king, and fel downe on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and sayd, Helpe, O King.

⁵Then the King sayd vnto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am in deede a widow, and mine husband is dead:

⁶And thine handmayd had two sonnes, and they two stroue together in the fielde: (and there was none to part them) so the one smote the other, and slew him.

⁷And beholde, the whole familie is risen against thine handmayde, and they sayde, Deliuer him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the soule of his brother whome hee slewe, that we may destroy the heire also: so they shall quenche my sparkle which is left, and shall not leaue to mine husband neither name nor posteritie vpon the earth.

⁸And the King said vnto the woman, Go to thine house, and I wil giue a charge for thee.

⁹Then the woman of Tekoah said vnto the King, My lord, O King, this trespas be on me, and on my fathers house, and the King and his throne be giltlesse.

¹⁰And the King sayde, Bring him to me that speaketh against thee, and he shall touche thee no more.