20:17 When he approached her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “I am.” She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He said, “Go ahead. I’m listening.” 20:18 She said, “In the past they would always say, ‘Let them inquire in Abel,’ and that is how they settled things. 20:19 I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city 1 in Israel. Why should you swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
20:20 Joab answered, “Get serious! 2 I don’t want to swallow up or destroy anything! 20:21 That’s not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled 3 against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city.” The woman said to Joab, “This very minute 4 his head will be thrown over the wall to you!”
20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab 5 blew the trumpet, and his men 6 dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. 7 Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
7:19 Wisdom gives a wise person more protection 8
than ten rulers in a city.
9:13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, 9
and it is a great burden 10 to me:
9:14 There was once 11 a small city with a few men in it,
and a mighty king attacked it, besieging 12 it and building strong 13 siege works against it.
9:15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, 14
and he could have delivered 15 the city by his wisdom,
but no one listened 16 to that poor man.
9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, 17
but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens 18 to his advice. 19
9:17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet,
more than the shouting of a ruler is heard 20 among fools.
9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much that is good.