a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”
- KJV Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
- NKJV Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ”
- NASB Then a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen, listen! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’ ”
- NLT But a wise woman in the town called out to Joab, “Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A wise woman of the city called out, asking to speak with Joab. It matters because her wisdom would save the city from destruction.
Overview
Amid the siege, a discerning woman took the initiative to negotiate with Joab directly. Her boldness and wisdom contrast with the violence of the men around her. The verse introduces one of Scripture's notable wise women, whose counsel averts needless bloodshed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Sam 14:2So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.
- Eccl 9:14–18There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.
- 1 Sam 25:32–33Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!
- 1 Sam 25:3His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 20:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.