1 Joab knew that David couldn't stop thinking about Absalom,
2-3 and he sent someone to bring in the wise woman who lived in Tekoa. Joab told her, “Put on funeral clothes and don't use any makeup. Go to the king and pretend you have spent a long time mourning the death of a loved one.” Then he told her what to say.
4 The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, please help me!”
5 David asked, “What's the matter?”She replied:My husband is dead, and I'm a widow.
6 I had two sons, but they got into a fight out in a field where there was no one to pull them apart, and one of them killed the other.
7 Now all of my relatives have come to me and said, “Hand over your son! We're going to put him to death for killing his brother.” But what they really want is to get rid of him, so they can take over our land.Please don't let them put out my only flame of hope! There won't be anyone left on this earth to carry on my husband's name.
8 “Go on home,” David told her. “I'll take care of this matter for you.”