14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning 1 and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. 2
2 Samuel 14:19-20
14:19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” 3 The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth.
14:20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.” 4
1 tn The Hebrew Hitpael verbal form here indicates pretended rather than genuine action.
2 tnHeb “these many days.”
3 tnHeb “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?”