¹⁷ As he approached, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”

“I am,” he replied.

So she said, “Listen carefully to your servant.”

“I’m listening,” he said.

¹² “Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said.

“Go ahead and speak,” he responded.

²⁴ She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say.