²⁷And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he smote him in the belly, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are for ever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ²⁹May it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house; and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous, or who holds a spindle, or who is slain by the sword, or who lacks bread!” ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

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

“Should Abner die as a fool dies?

³⁴Your 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. ³⁵Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” ³⁶And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as everything that the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to slay Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹And I am this day weak, though anointed king; these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. The Lord requite the evildoer according to his wickedness!”

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