rsv 2Samuel:20:15-22 SEEK
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And all the men who were with Jo '
ab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-ma '
acah ;
they cast up a mound against the city ,
and it stood against the rampart ;
and they were battering the wall ,
to throw it down .
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Then a wise woman called from the city , "
Hear !
Hear !
Tell Jo '
ab , `
Come here ,
that I may speak to you .'"
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And he came near her ;
and the woman said , "
Are you Jo '
ab ?"
He answered , "
I am ."
Then she said to him , "
Listen to the words of your maidservant ."
And he answered , "
I am listening ."
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Then she said , "
They were wont to say in old time , `
Let them but ask counsel at Abel ';
and so they settled a matter .
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I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel ;
you seek to destroy a city which is a mother in Israel ;
why will you swallow up the heritage of the LORD ?"
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Jo '
ab answered , "
Far be it from me ,
far be it ,
that I should swallow up or destroy !
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That is not true .
But a man of the hill country of E '
phraim ,
called Sheba the son of Bichri ,
has lifted up his hand against King David ;
give up him alone ,
and I will withdraw from the city ."
And the woman said to Jo '
ab , "
Behold ,
his head shall be thrown to you over the wall ."
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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 Jo '
ab .
So he blew the trumpet ,
and they dispersed from the city ,
every man to his home .
And Jo '
ab returned to Jerusalem to the king .