2 Samuel 20:16

16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you. ’”

2 Samuel 20:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 20:16

Then cried a wise woman out of the city
And such an one as the woman of Tekoah, supposed by some to be the governess of the city; but whoever she was, she well deserved the character of a wise woman; her conduct in this affair shows it: she cried with a loud voice, upon the wall of the city, to Joab's men, who were underneath battering it,

hear, hear;
which she repeated to make them hear:

say, I pray you, unto Joab, come near hither, that I may speak with
thee;
tell your general I desire to speak with him; which was wisely done, to have nothing to say but to the general himself.

2 Samuel 20:16 In-Context

14 And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in.

15 And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down.

16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you. ’”

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

18 Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel, ’ and so they settled a matter.