But a wise woman in the town called out to Joab, “Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you.”
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.
- BSB a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”
- 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.’ ”
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 14:2Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.
- Eccl 9:14–18There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
- 1 Sam 25:32–33David said to Abigail, “Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me!
- 1 Sam 25:3Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail. This woman was intelligent and had a beautiful face; but the man was surly and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.
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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
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