¹⁶ a wise woman^(A) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.”

² So Joab sent someone to Tekoa^(A) and had a wise woman^(B) brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions.^(C) Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead.

¹⁴ There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. ¹⁵ Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.^{(A) 16} So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.^(B)

³² David said to Abigail, “Praise^(A) be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. ³³ May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed^(B) this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.

³ His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.^(A) She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.^(B)