David Mourns Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, v“Tear your clothes and wput on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king xlamented for Abner, saying,

y“Should Abner die zas a fool dies?

34  Your hands were not bound;

your feet were not fettered;

as one falls before the wicked

you have fallen.”

And all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came ato persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, b“God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ctill the sun goes down!” 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I was gentle today, though anointed king. dThese men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. eThe Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”