18 Then the king answered the woman, “I’m going to ask you something; don’t conceal it from me! ”“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman replied.
19 The king asked, “Did Joab put you up to all this? ”The woman answered. “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from all my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave orders to me; he told your servant exactly what to say.
20 Joab your servant has done this to address the issue indirectly, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the Angel of God, knowing everything on earth.”
21 Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
22 Joab fell with his face to the ground in homage and praised the king. “Today,” Joab said, “your servant knows I have found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant.”
23 So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 However, the king added, “He may return to his house, but he may not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king.