² So Joab sent messengers to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. Joab said to her, “Please pretend to be very sad for someone. Put on clothes to show your sadness. Don’t put lotion on yourself. Act like a woman who has been crying many days for someone who died. ³ Go to the king. Talk to him using the words that I tell you.” Then Joab told the wise woman what to say.

⁴ So the woman from Tekoa talked to the king. She bowed facedown on the ground to show respect. She said, “My king, help me!”