1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah recognized that the king’s mind was on Absalom.
2 So Joab sent a request to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He instructed her, “Act as if you are observing mourning rites. Put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning over the dead like this for many days.
3 Then come to the king and speak to him in this manner.” Thus Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 As the Tekoan woman spoke to the king, she fell on her face toward the ground and bowed low. Then she said, “Help me, O king.”
5 The king said to her, “What troubles you?”She responded, “Alas, I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
6 Furthermore, your servant had two sons. The two of them were fighting in the field, but there was no one to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.