Ecclesiastes 9:14–15

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¹⁵And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, 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.

¹⁶¶ 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.

¹⁷And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

¹⁸Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

¹⁹I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?

²⁰And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

²¹The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

²²Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

¹⁵And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast vp a banke against the citie, and ^‖it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Ioab, ^†battered the wall, to throw it downe.

¹⁶¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the citie, Heare, heare; say, I pray you, vnto Ioab, Come neere hither, that I may speake with thee.

¹⁷And when he was come neere vnto her, the woman said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, I am he: Then shee said vnto him, Heare the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I doe heare.

¹⁸Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speake in old time, saying, ^‖They shall surely aske counsell at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

¹⁹I am one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a citie, and a mother in Israel: Why wilt thou swallow vp the inheritance of the LORD?

²⁰And Ioab answered and saide, Farre be it, farre be it from me, that I should swallow vp or destroy.

²¹The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim (Sheba the sonne of Bichri ^†by name) hath lift vp his hand against the king, euen against Dauid: deliuer him onely, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said vnto Ioab, Behold, his head shall be throwen to thee ouer the wall.

²²Then the woman went vnto all the people in her wisedome, and they cut off the head of Sheba the sonne of Bichri, and cast it out to Ioab: and hee blew a trumpet, and they ^†retired from the citie, euery man to his tent: & Ioab returned to Ierusalem vnto the king.

¹³¶ Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

¹³¶ ^†Better is a poore and a wise child, then an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished.

²³Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

²³Yet did not the chiefe Butler remember Ioseph, but forgate him.

²And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

³And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

²And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of ^‖Bigthana, and Teresh, two of the kings chamberleus, the keepers of the ^†doore, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

³And the king said, What honour and dignitie hath bene done to Mordecai for this? Then said the kings seruants that ministred vnto him, There is nothing done for him.

²²Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

²²Then the woman went vnto all the people in her wisedome, and they cut off the head of Sheba the sonne of Bichri, and cast it out to Ioab: and hee blew a trumpet, and they ^†retired from the citie, euery man to his tent: & Ioab returned to Ierusalem vnto the king.

¹⁶For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

¹⁶For there is no remembrance of the wise, more then of the foole for euer; seeing that which now is, in the dayes to come shall be forgotten; and how dieth the wise man? as the foole.