2 Samuel 20:18

They shall surely ask counsel at Abel Let them by all means inquire of Abel. The phrase is that commonly used for inquiring of God. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 16:23. The city had been proverbial for its wisdom from ancient times; men consulted it as an oracle for the settlement of their disputes; a city of such reputation, loyal moreover and peaceable, ought not, she implies, to be thus attacked. Possibly she means further to hint, that if Joab had consulted the inhabitants, as men were wont to do in olden times, and had negotiated for the surrender of Sheba, the siege might have been avoided. This rendering is certainly preferable to that in the margin: They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end: which means that at the beginning of the siege the inhabitants expected Joab to communicate with the city and offer terms, in accordance with the law which prescribed that a city should be summoned to surrender before it was besieged (Deuteronomy 20:10 ff.). An ancient Jewish interpretation however explains the passage to refer to that law, for the Targum renders: "Remember now that which is written in the book of the law, to ask a city concerning peace at the first. Hast thou so done, to ask of Abel if they will make peace?" The Sept. rendering may be noted as curious, but is probably derived from a corrupt text and not to be adopted. "It was asked [conj.let them ask] in Abel and in Dan whether the customs have failed which the faithful of Israel ordained."