Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 Joab^(A) son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. ² So Joab sent someone to Tekoa^(B) and had a wise woman^(C) brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions.^(D) Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. ³ Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab^(E) put the words in her mouth.

⁴ When the woman from Tekoa went^[a] to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

⁵ The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”

She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. ⁶ I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. ⁷ Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death^(F) for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir^(G) as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left,^(H) leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

⁸ The king said to the woman, “Go home,^(I) and I will issue an order in your behalf.”

⁹ But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon^(J) me and my family,^(K) and let the king and his throne be without guilt.^(L)”