2 Samuel 14:2-20

2So JoabH3097 sentH7971 to 1TekoaH8620 and 2broughtH3947 a wiseH2450 womanH802 from thereH8033 and saidH559 to her, “PleaseH4994 pretendH56 to be a mournerH56, and putH3847 on mourningH60 garmentsH899 nowH4994, and do not 3anointH5480 yourself with oilH8081, but be like a womanH802 who has been mourningH56 for the deadH4191 manyH7227 daysH3117; 3then goH935 to the kingH4428 and speakH1696 to him in thisH2088 mannerH1697.” So JoabH3097 putH7760 4the wordsH1697 in her mouthH6310.

4Now when the womanH802 of TekoaH8621 5spokeH559 to the kingH4428, she fellH5307 on her faceH639 to the groundH776 and 6prostratedH7812 herself and saidH559, “7HelpH3467, O kingH4428.” 5The kingH4428 saidH559 to her, “WhatH4100 is your trouble?” And she 8answeredH559, “TrulyH61 I am a widowH490, for my husbandH376 is deadH4191. 6Your maidservantH8198 had twoH8147 sonsH1121, but the twoH8147 of them struggledH5327 togetherH5327 in the fieldH7704, and thereH369 was noH369 9oneH369 to separateH5337 them, so oneH259 struckH5221 the otherH259 and killedH4191 him. 7Now beholdH2009, 10the wholeH3605 familyH4940 has risenH6965 againstH5921 your maidservantH8198, and they sayH559, ‘HandH5414 overH5414 the one who struckH5221 his brotherH251, that we may putH4191 him to deathH4191 for the lifeH5315 of his brotherH251 whomH834 he killedH2026, 11and destroyH8045 the heirH3423 alsoH1571.’ Thus they will extinguishH3518 my coalH1513 whichH834 is leftH7604, so as to 12leaveH7760 my husbandH376 neitherH1115 nameH8034 norH1115 remnantH7611 on the faceH6440 of the earthH127.”

8Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to the womanH802, “GoH1980 to your houseH1004, and I will giveH6680 ordersH6680 concerningH5921 you.” 9The womanH802 of TekoaH8621 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “O my lordH113, the kingH4428, 13the iniquityH5771 is on me and my father’sH1 houseH1004, but 14the kingH4428 and his throneH3678 are guiltlessH5355.” 10So the kingH4428 saidH559, “Whoever speaksH1696 to you, bringH935 him to me, and he will not touchH5060 you anymoreH3254H5750.” 11Then she saidH559, “PleaseH4994 let the kingH4428 rememberH2142 the LordH3068 your GodH430, 15so that the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 will not continueH7235 to destroyH7843, otherwiseH3808 they will destroyH8045 my sonH1121.” And he saidH559, “16As the LordH3068 livesH2416, not one hairH8185 of your sonH1121 shall fallH5307 to the groundH776.”

12Then the womanH802 saidH559, “PleaseH4994 let your maidservantH8198 speakH1696 a wordH1697 to my lordH113 the kingH4428.” And he saidH559, “SpeakH1696.” 13The womanH802 saidH559, “17WhyH4100 then have you plannedH2803 suchH2088 a thingH2088 againstH5921 the peopleH5971 of GodH430? For in speakingH1696 thisH2088 wordH1697 the kingH4428 is as oneH818 whoH818 is guiltyH818, in that the kingH4428 does not bringH7725 backH7725 18his banishedH5080 oneH5080. 14For 19we will surelyH4191 dieH4191 and are 20like waterH4325 spilledH5064 on the groundH776 whichH834 cannotH3808 be gatheredH622 up again. Yet GodH430 does not takeH5375 away lifeH5315, but plansH2803 21waysH4284 so that 22the banishedH5080 oneH5080 will not be castH5080 out from him. 15NowH6258 23the reasonH834 I have comeH935 to speakH1696 thisH2088 wordH1697 to my lordH113 the kingH4428 is that the peopleH5971 have madeH3372 me afraidH3372; so your maidservantH8198 saidH559, ‘Let me nowH4994 speakH1696 to the kingH4428, perhapsH194 the kingH4428 will performH6213 the 24requestH1697 of his maidservantH519. 16For the kingH4428 will hearH8085 25and deliverH5337 his maidservantH519 from the 26handH3709 of the manH376 who would destroyH8045 27bothH3162 me and my sonH1121 from 28the inheritanceH5159 of GodH430.’ 17Then your maidservantH8198 saidH559, ‘PleaseH4994 let the wordH1697 of my lordH113 the kingH4428 be 29comfortingH4496, for as 30the angelH4397 of GodH430, soH3651 is my lordH113 the kingH4428 to discernH8085 goodH2896 and evilH7451. And may the LordH3068 your GodH430 be with you.’”

18Then the kingH4428 answeredH6030 and saidH559 to the womanH802, “PleaseH4994 do not hideH3582 anythingH1697 from me that I am about to askH7592 you.” And the womanH802 saidH559, “Let my lordH113 the kingH4428 pleaseH4994 speakH1696.” 19So the kingH4428 saidH559, “Is the handH3027 of JoabH3097 with you in allH3605 thisH2088?” And the womanH802 repliedH6030, “As your soulH5315 livesH2416, my lordH113 the kingH4428, noH518 one can turnH3231 to the rightH3231 or to the leftH8041 from anythingH3605 that my lordH113 the kingH4428 has spokenH1696. IndeedH3588, it was 31your servantH5650 JoabH3097 whoH1931 commandedH6680 me, and it was he who putH7760 allH3605 theseH428 wordsH1697 in the mouthH6310 of your maidservantH8198; 20in orderH5668 to changeH5437 the appearanceH6440 of thingsH1697 your servantH5650 JoabH3097 has doneH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697. But my lordH113 is wiseH2450, 32like the wisdomH2451 of the angelH4397 of GodH430, to knowH3045 allH3605 that is in the earthH776.”