1Then Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah perceyued, that the Kings heart was toward Absalom,
2And Ioab sent to Tekoah, and brought thence a subtile woman, & sayd vnto her, I pray thee, fayne thy selfe to mourne, and nowe put on mourning apparel, & anoynt not thy selfe with oyle: but be as a woman that had now long time mourned for the dead.
3And come to the King, and speake on this maner vnto him, (for Ioab taught her what she should say).
4Then the woman of Tekoah spake vnto the king, & fel downe on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and sayd, Helpe, O King.
5Then the King sayd vnto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am in deede a widow, and mine husband is dead:
6And thine handmayd had two sonnes, & they two stroue together in the fielde: (and there was none to part them) so the one smote the other, and slew him.
7And beholde, the whole familie is risen against thine handmayde, and they sayde, Deliuer him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the soule of his brother whome hee slewe, that we may destroy the heire also: so they shall quenche my sparkle which is left, and shall not leaue to mine husband neither name nor posteritie vpon the earth.
8And the King said vnto the woman, Go to thine house, and I wil giue a charge for thee.
9Then the woman of Tekoah said vnto the King, My lord, O King, this trespas be on me, & on my fathers house, and the King and his throne be giltlesse.
10And the King sayde, Bring him to me that speaketh against thee, and he shall touche thee no more.
11Then said she, I pray thee, let the King remember the Lorde thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer many reuengers of blood to destroy, lest they slay my sonne; he answered, As the Lord liueth, there shal not one heare of thy sonne fall to the earth.
12Then the woman said, I pray thee, let thine handmayde speake a worde to my lord the King; he sayd, Say on.
13Then the woman sayde, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? Or why doeth the King, as one which is faultie, speake this thing, that he will not bring againe his banished?