9
The woman of T'koa said to the king, "My lord, king, let the guilt be on me and my father's family; the king and his throne be guiltless."
10
The king answered, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me; and he won't bother you any more."
11
"Please," she said, "let the king swear by ADONAI your God that the blood avengers won't do any more destroying, so they won't destroy my son." He said, "As ADONAI lives, not one of your son's hairs will fall to the ground."
12
Then the woman said, "Please allow your servant to say something else to my lord the king.""Go on," he replied.
13
The woman said, "Why is it, then, that you have produced a situation exactly like this against God's people? By saying what you have said, the king has virtually incriminated himself - in that the king does not bring home again the son he banished.
14
For we will all die someday; we'll be like water spilled on the ground that can't be gathered up again; and God makes no exception for anyone. The king should think of some way to keep the son he banished from being forever an outcast.
15
Now the reason I came to speak about this matter to my lord the king is that the people were intimidating me; so your servant said, 'I will speak now to the king; maybe the king will do what his servant is asking.
16
For the king will listen and rescue his servant from the hands of those who would destroy me and my son together from our share of God's inheritance.'
17
Then your servant said, 'Please let my lord the king say something that will give me relief; for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good from bad - and may ADONAI your God be with you.'"
18
The king then answered the woman: "I'm going to ask you a question, and please don't hide anything from me."The woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."
19
The king asked, "Did Yo'av put you up to this?"The woman answered, "As you live, my lord the king, when my lord the king speaks, no one can avoid the issue by turning either right or left. Yes, it was your servant Yo'av who had me do this, and he put in my mouth every word you have heard your servant say.