2 Samuel 20:16
◄  2 Samuel 20:16  ►
New International Version (©2011)
a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him."

New Living Translation (©2007)
But a wise woman in the town called out to Joab, "Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you."

English Standard Version (©2001)
Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Then a wise woman called from the city, "Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, 'Come here that I may speak with you.'"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him."

International Standard Version (©2012)
Just then a wise woman called out from the city. "Attention!" she said, "Go tell Joab 'Come here! I want to talk to you!'"

NET Bible (©2006)
a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, 'Come near so that I may speak to you.'"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Then a clever woman called from the city, "Listen, listen! Tell Joab to come here so that I can talk to him."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with you.

American King James Version
Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with you.

American Standard Version
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And a wise woman cried out from the city: Hear, hear, and say to Joab: Come near hither, and I will speak with thee.

Darby Bible Translation
And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

English Revised Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

World English Bible
Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'"

Young's Literal Translation
And a wise woman calleth out of the city, 'Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, and I speak unto thee.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:14-22 Justly is that place attacked, which dares to harbour a traitor; nor will the heart fare better which indulges rebellious lusts, that will not have Christ to reign over them. A discreet woman, by her prudent management, satisfied Joab, and yet saved the city. Wisdom is not confined to rank or sex; it consists not in deep knowledge; but in understanding how to act as matters arise, that troubles may be turned away and benefits secured. A great deal of mischief would be prevented, if contending parties would understand one another. Let both sides be undeceived. The single condition of peace is, the surrender of the traitor. It is so in God's dealing with the soul, when besieged by conviction and distress; sin is the traitor; the beloved lust is the rebel: part with that, cast away the transgression, and all shall be well. There is no peace on any other terms.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then cried a wise woman out of the city,.... And such an one as the woman of Tekoah, supposed by some to be the governess of the city; but whoever she was, she well deserved the character of a wise woman; her conduct in this affair shows it: she cried with a loud voice, upon the wall of the city, to Joab's men, who were underneath battering it:

hear, hear; which she repeated to make them hear:

say, I pray you, unto Joab, come near hither, that I may speak with thee; tell your general I desire to speak with him; which was wisely done, to have nothing to say but to the general himself.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Sa 20:16-22. A Wise Woman Saves the City by Sheba's Head.

16. Then cried a wise woman—The appeal of this woman, who, like Deborah, was probably a judge or governess of the place, was a strong one.

2 Samuel 20:16 Parallel Commentaries

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The Rebellion Stopped
…15And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with you. 17And when he was come near to her, the woman said, Are you Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. …

2 Samuel 14:2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don't use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead.
2 Samuel 20:17 He went toward her, and she asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he answered. She said, "Listen to what your servant has to say." "I'm listening," he said.
2 Samuel 20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
Ecclesiastes 9:14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it.