15 They came and besieged him in aAbel Beth-maacah, and bthey 1cast up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood by the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall.

16 Then aa wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’ ”

17 So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute.

19 “I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. aYou are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up bthe inheritance of the Lord?”

20 Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!

21 “Such is not the case. But a man from athe hill country of Ephraim, bSheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 Then the woman awisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So bhe blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.