18 Then the king answered the woman, “I’m going to ask you something; don’t conceal it from me!”

“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman replied.

19 The king asked, “Did Joab put you up toA all this?”

The woman answered. “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from all my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave orders to me; he told your servant exactly what to say.B 20 Joab your servant has done this to address the issue indirectly,C but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, knowing everything on earth.”