¹⁴ Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,^[a](A) who gathered together and followed him. ¹⁵ All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah.^(B) They built a siege ramp^(C) up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, ¹⁶ a wise woman^(D) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.”