¹⁶ But there was a very wise woman in that city who shouted out to them and said, “Listen to me! Tell Joab to come here. I want to talk with him.”

¹⁷ Joab went to talk with the woman. She asked him, “Are you Joab?”

Joab answered, “Yes, I am.”

Then the woman said, “Listen to me.”

Joab said, “I am listening.”

¹⁸ Then the woman said, “In the past people would say, ‘Ask for help in Abel and you will get what you need.’