2 Samuel 20:14-26 - Wisdom From A Woman Under Siege
14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites. And they were gathered together, and also went after him. 15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman out of the city cried out, Hear, hear. Say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with thee.
17 And he came near to her, and the woman said, Are thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18 Then she spoke, saying, They were accustomed to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel, and so they ended [the matter]. 19 I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. Thou seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will thou swallow up the inheritance of LORD?
20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy. 21 The matter is not so, but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to 22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab re
23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites, 24 and Adoram was over the men subject to task work, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder, 25 and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests, 26 and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.